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EPA Awards Mount Sinai $150,000 for Asthma Education

Release Date: 06/17/2002
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(#02059) NEW YORK -- Continuing its commitment to fight childhood asthma, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the award of a $150,000 grant to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in East Harlem. Asthma has reached epidemic proportions in the United States – affecting about 15 million people, including a disproportionate number of children. Studies indicate extremely high asthma rates in areas of New York City such as East and West Harlem. “Our objective is to eliminate or control asthma triggers in the home, such as secondhand smoke, dust mites, cockroaches, mold and pet dander. We want every child with asthma to lead a healthy and active life with fewer emergency room visits, asthma symptoms, and days lost from school,” said Jane M. Kenny, EPA Regional Administrator. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, has a long history of providing community health and social services to a culturally diverse, inner city population. The hospital provides state-of- the-art medical care, health education and preventive services. In collaboration with the East Harlem Asthma Workgroup, Mount Sinai School of Medicine will implement a Healthy Homes, Healthy Families Project, a unique home/group intervention to improve the health of children with asthma and their families by addressing their home environments. This grant will allow Mount Sinai to conduct environmental asthma education, management and follow-up in groups, while providing one-on-one mediation and education to 40 families in their homes. The families will be recruited from community settings and outpatient clinics. This project will demonstrate the benefit of in-home environmental asthma education and management as a way of minimizing asthma attacks and reducing medical costs. The EPA began this competitive grant program in 2000 to help ensure that asthma is managed comprehensively, including both medical management and avoidance of indoor environmental asthma triggers. Mount Sinai School of Medicine is one of two organizations nationally to receive funding from EPA for this program this year. Toledo Children’s Hospital in Ohio also received a grant.