2016 Community Health Action Plan | Page 56

Goal 2 : Strengthen support network in clinical and community settings Anticipated Impact
We expect work in goal area 2 will improve the continuity and consistency of care received by children with respiratory illnesses in the Denver metro area . We expect this will result in improved asthma control and decreased rates of hospital admissions and emergency department visits for asthma , bronchiolitis , and other respiratory illnesses in the target population . Additionally , we anticipate work in this goal area will increase communication between medical professionals across the spectrum of care , including specialists , primary care providers , and those based in the home and school .
Strategy 2.1
Improve the quality and frequency of asthma care given by nurses and paraprofessionals in public schools .
Tactic : CHCO will provide support and resources to identify students with asthma and educate front line school staff who care for asthma students through collaboration with schools through our Step Up Asthma Program . School-based asthma educators employed by Step Up Asthma will provide school-based case management for identified students and technical assistance for participating nurses and para-professionals . Additionally , we will explore connecting this work with the hospital ’ s larger goal of establishing resource and care centers based in schools .
Setting / Delivery Mechanism
School – Standardized education can be provided in the school setting through school-based programs such as Colorado Step-Up Asthma and through training and technical assistance for school based nurses and para-professionals .
Internal Resources
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School health educators
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Prevention and Education Coordinator
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Certified Asthma Educators
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CHCO employed school nurses
External Resources
Partners will be defined based on targeted communities for intervention . Current partners include but are not limited to :
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Denver and Aurora Public School districts
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Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
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Local Health Departments
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