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What is the Long
Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma?
The Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma (LBACA), started in
1999, is a partnership to improve the lives of children with asthma in
the Long Beach community. LBACA is one of 7 sites in the US
and Puerto Rico awarded grants under the Robert Woods Johnson
Foundation’s Allies Against Asthma program, one of 12 sites in
California awarded grants under The California Endowment’s Community
Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA) Program, and also recently received
funding from the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s British
Petroleum Settlement fund to expand its programming into San Pedro,
Wilmington and Carson.
What are the coalition’s
current activities?
LBACA’s activities include a community health worker home visiting
program, an asthma resource center, Physician Asthma Care Education
training to improve physician asthma management skills and training
medical assistants to provide asthma education to patients at provider
sites. LBACA is also teaming up with schools, after-school programs,
parks and recreational centers to develop asthma-friendly environments
and policies; and mobilizing the community to respond to air quality
issues, both indoors and outdoors.
What are the coalition’s long-term objectives?
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To change the profile of
childhood asthma in the most affected areas of the cities of Long
Beach, Carson, Wilmington and San Pedro through improved healthcare
delivery and quality, outreach, education, support systems, improved
living environments and changes in policy at all levels.
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To improve clinical
outcomes including reduction in preventable hospitalizations,
emergency room visits, and school absenteeism due to asthma, and
enhanced quality of life measures.
Funding and Support
LBACA is currently supported by The Community Action to Fight Asthma
through The California Endowment, The Miller
Foundation, the Josephine S. Gumbiner
Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency and National Institute
for Environmental Health through USC Children’s Environmental Health
Center, and recently, the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s
British Petroleum Settlement Fund. In the past, LBACA’s activities were
supported by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Johnson & Johnson
Foundation, LA
Care Health Plan, and Kaiser Permanente. |
