In 2015, Lynn Gerald, PhD, MSPH, of the University of Arizona became aware that schools in her district needed stock inhalers but were unable to get them unless they had a licensed nurse on staff. “We needed to change the legislation so that non-licensed personnel could administer this lifesaving medication,” said Dr. Gerald, who also serves as a principal investigator in our Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network. With the help of other advocates and the use of her previous asthma research in the ACRC, she successfully advocated to get the law passed in Arizona. However, these changes needed to be implemented across the country to ensure that children with asthma remain safe at school, so she began to help other states pass similar legislation. This is how she met her protégé, Andrea Pappalardo, MD, at the University of Illinois.
Dr. Pappalardo, a recipient of American Lung Association’s 2021-2022 Public Policy Research Award, was hoping to implement the same practices in Illinois. “Most of the regional superintendents and nurses in Illinois had no idea that this law existed, so they didn’t know what was available,” she explained. The first step was education and the second was pushing out training. Then, the group needed to address funding, which they found varied by school and would require government assistance.
Lobbyists are working to educate pharmacists so they can fill prescriptions for school districts, though getting the medication spread statewide is still an issue because no infrastructure currently exists. Lastly, all this must be recorded over time to ensure that the medication is actually getting into children’s hands. “Changing legislation is the first step and many people don't realize all the components that go into implementation.” Dr. Gerald said
“I think that was one of the biggest wins. The Illinois governor’s budget included $2.5 million for statewide funding.” – Dr. Andrea Pappalardo
Though the legislation has now passed in 17 states, implementation is still ongoing. “With climate change and pollution worsening, we are seeing higher prevalence of childhood asthma,” Dr. Pappalardo added. “It is so important that children have access to the care and medication they need so they can continue to thrive at school and reach their potential.”
To learn more about the Lung Association’s new online stock asthma training program, visit Lung.org/asthma-in-schools.
Page last updated: January 13, 2023
