A new asthma-free Bronx program aims, within five years, to reduce asthma-related emergency room visits by 50 percent and asthma-related hospitalizations by 30 percent among children aged 5 to 17 at three of the Bronx’s public hospitals – North Central Bronx (NCBH), Jacobi, and Lincoln hospitals, which collectively serve about one third of all Bronx kids with asthma, a borough hardest hit by asthma. 

Each year, approximately 20,000 children in New York City end up in the emergency department or are hospitalized due to asthma. About 40 percent of these children live in the Bronx with black and Latino communities among the most affected. 

The program aims to close these racial health disparities in the Bronx by providing personalized services to every child hospitalized or seen in the emergency department in any of the three Bronx public hospitals which collectively serve more than 2,500 children for asthma exacerbation yearly. 

On July 31, the Mayor’s office, in partnership with city Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, NYC Health + Hospitals and city Department of Education (DOE) announced the launch of the $2 million program, “Asthma-Free Bronx” for this year, and plans to double the funding for future years. 

“Families in the Bronx should not worry about their kid’s next asthma attack,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “As a city, we are stepping up to ensure kids have access to a comprehensive program that provides them with the resources and education they need to control their chronic condition and live healthy lives.”

It is the city’s first program to address pediatric asthma as a means of preventing emergency room visits and hospitalizations in a synchronized manner between a child’s home, school and health providers. 

“Too many families in the Bronx live in fear of their child’s next asthma attack, which is emotionally taxing and compromises their overall physical health,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “This new program will connect families in our city to the treatment and holistic care their children need to manage their asthma and be healthy.”

The program will help coordinate key services between the hospitals and other agencies by stationing social workers in all three Bronx acute care centers. These social workers will be responsible for identifying children who are seen in the emergency room for asthma exacerbation, and enroll them into the Asthma-Free Bronx program. 

Social workers will also schedule a follow-up visit with a primary care provider within two weeks, notify the child’s school nurse, and refer them to the DOE’s Open Airways Program, which educates children about asthma and empowers them to manage their condition. One aim of the program looks to increase the number of Bronx schools offering the DOE’s Open Airways curriculum.

The program will also facilitate information sharing between providers to better serve families, will provide home inspections to identify allergens and provide in-home asthma education to the family of all kids enrolled in Asthma-Free Bronx. 

The city looks to will jump-start the program at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx in September, followed by Jacobi and NCBH by November.