Blog
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EPA Releases Pilot Indicators of Environmental Health Disparities
As part of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) FY2022-2026 Strategic Plan, the EPA released the pilot Indicators of Environmental Health Disparities resource. The intent of these indicators is to illustrate the disparities in key environmental and public health issues and describe EPA’s activities that may contribute to reductions in these disparities and overall health…
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ASHRAE Releases “Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events” Guidelines; Free Public Access to a Read-Only Version Available through 2/11
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released Guideline 44, “Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events.” This guideline offers recommendations for commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential buildings to mitigate health impacts from smoke, making it the first of its kind to support building owners and managers…
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American Lung Association Explores How Emerging Technologies Can Bridge Air Quality Data Gaps
For 25 years, the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report has provided critical insights into air quality across the nation, using data from official monitoring networks to track ozone and particulate matter levels. Building on this legacy, Something in the Air: Bridging the Air Quality Data Gap with Satellite Technology explores how emerging…
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Hiring: Asthma Remediation Manager at Visión y Compromiso
Visión y Compromiso is currently hiring a full-time Asthma Remediation Manager to lead its asthma services under the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program. The Manager will handle the strategy, operations, and finance sustainability of the program, and ensure services are well-planned and delivered to Medi-Cal patients with poorly controlled asthma, following organizational and…
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Become a Member of CDPH’s Climate and Health Equity Advisory Group
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is seeking participants for the new Climate and Health Equity Advisory Group (CHEAG). This group will include diverse members from across California with lived experience or expertise in the health and equity impacts of climate change. CHEAG will guide CDPH’s climate and health equity initiatives, identify program gaps,…
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RAMP CHW Meeting: Addressing asthma disparities within (and out of) the health system
On December 5th, the RAMP CHW Meeting focused on “Addressing asthma disparities within (and out of) the health system,” presented by Neeta Thakur, MD, pulmonary and critical care physician at UCSF. View the presentation here. Presentation slides can be found here. For more information, contact Anne Kelsey Lamb at anne@rampasthma.org
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Reducing Air Pollution and Exposure Can Save San Joaquin Valley Residents Millions
The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is one of the most polluted regions in the US, where air pollution exacerbates respiratory issues like asthma, contributing to significant health and economic burdens. In a study published in April 2024, in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy, researchers analyzed data from 2016 to assess the costs of ozone (O₃),…
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Community Health Workers Connecting Home, School, Healthcare Systems, and the Community to Improve Asthma
A study, funded by the National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, was conducted to determine if a community health worker (CHW) intervention to connect the primary care, home, and school for low-income, minority school-aged children with asthma and their caregivers improves asthma control. In Philadelphia, a randomized clinical trial followed 626 participants over…
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EPA’s Updated Ventilation and Respiratory Virus Guidance
The EPA has released updated guidance on indoor air quality (IAQ) strategies for preventing the spread of common respiratory viruses in homes, schools, offices, and commercial buildings. In addition to the virus that causes COVID-19, there are many other types of airborne respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, that can spread more easily…
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Video Series Aims at Improving Indoor Air Quality
Improving indoor air quality is the goal of a video series developed by experts at the University of California, Davis in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health. Released in late 2024, the videos distill the science of air quality into concrete steps that people can take to remove pollutants from the place we…
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Applications Open for EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program; Deadlines Vary
In December 2023, the EPA selected 11 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers to receive $600 million to serve as pass-through entities nationwide through the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program cooperative agreements. The awards are intended for community-based organizations and other eligible organizations to support the planning, assessment, and development of community-based environmental justice projects.…
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RAMP CHW Meeting: Outdoor Air Pollution and Asthma
On November 4, 2024, the RAMP CHW Meeting focused on Outdoor Air Pollution and Asthma, presented by Dayane Dueñas Barahona and Zander Silverman with the USC Keck School of Medicine’s Environmental Justice Research Lab in the Department of Population and Public Health. View the meeting recording here. For more information, reach out to Anne Kelsey Lamb…