The Asthma Program

Asthma - A Major Health Problem

Asthma affects approximately 15 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 60 percent since the early 1980s. In Contra Costa County, more than 12,000 children and 23,000 adults have been diagnosed with asthma. Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting children in the U.S. Asthma can be dangerous to children, severely affecting their ability to learn, speak, eat and play.

Asthma attacks can be dangerous

If you are having difficulty breathing or if you are having trouble walking or talking due to shortness of breath or lips or fingernails are gray or blue, get help immediately by calling 911.

If you are having difficulty with your asthma, or if you have questions about your own asthma care contact your doctor.

If you don't have a doctor or if you have questions about the asthma projects at CCHS, call Sally McFalone at 925-313-6242

Recognizing that asthma is a serious health problem in the county, Contra Costa Health Services has an Asthma Program made up of several projects:

Programs for Adults and Children with Asthma:

The CCHP Asthma Program assists patients of all ages throughout Contra Costa County to manage asthma and avoid unnecessary hospitalization. The Asthma Program provides a Registered Nurse to do in-home and over the phone asthma education and case management assistance to help patients get the treatment they need to stay healthy. In cooperation with the West County In-Home Asthma trigger Check-up Program, patients in West County can now receive both medical assistance from a Registered Nurse and an In-Home Asthma Trigger Check-up at the same time.

For more information or if you need help with your asthma. Contact: Donna Kaufman, RN Program Manager at the CCHP Asthma Program 925 313-6651

Programs for Children with Asthma:

Public Health Clinic Services offers assistance anywhere in Contra Costa County, to children and their families who are living with asthma by ensuring that they have help obtaining health coverage and that a skilled medical doctor or nurse practitioner oversees their care. We provide home visits to help with managing the child's asthma symptoms and assistance in making improvements in the home environment. We also provide "Open Airways for Schools" to the local Elementary schools. This is an American Lung Association curriculum, which assists the child and the school staff to better manage the child's asthma especially during the school day.

For more information or for help with your child's asthma contact: Sally McFalone, 925-313-6242 or Alvaro Florez, 510-374-7527.

The Community Action To Fight Asthma (CAFA) Project has trained community residents from West Contra Costa County who conduct workshops on asthma triggers in the community and provide free In-Home Asthma Trigger Check-ups. The CAFA project supports a West County Asthma Coalition composed of parents, child-care providers, school officials, health care providers, environmental groups, and residents concerned with addressing the environmental aspects of childhood asthma. The California Endowment funds this program with additional past support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Contact: Kim Cox, 925-313-6618.

Learn about the highlights and activities of our CAFA Project.

The CAFA project is funded by a grant from The California Endowment and some of the activities of Contra Costa Clinic Services' asthma program are funded by grants from The Environmental Protection Agency.

Links to other Asthma sites