School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2468) to amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the preference given, in awarding certain allergies and asthma-related grants, to States that require certain public schools to have allergies and asthma management programs, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2468
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act''. SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL PREFERENCE TO CERTAIN STATES THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HAVE ALLERGIES AND ASTHMA MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS.
Section 399L(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g(d)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(F)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) as subclauses (I), (II), and (III), respectively, and moving each of such subclauses (as so redesignated) 2 ems to the right;
(B) by striking ``epinephrine.--In determining'' and inserting ``epinephrine or school comprehensive allergies and asthma management program.--
``(i) In general.--In determining'';
(C) by striking ``in the State--'' and inserting ``in the State satisfy the criteria described in clause (ii) or clause (iii).
``(ii) Criteria for school personnel administration of epinephrine.--For purposes of clause (i), the criteria described in this clause, with respect to each public elementary school and secondary school in the State, are that each such school--''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) Criteria for school comprehensive allergies and asthma management program.--For purposes of clause (i), the criteria described in this clause, with respect to each public elementary school and secondary school in the State, are that each such school--
``(I) has in place a plan for having on the premises of the school during all operating hours of the school a school nurse or one or more other individuals who are designated by the principal (or other appropriate administrative staff) of the school to direct and apply the program described in subclause (II) on a voluntary basis outside their scope of employment; and
``(II) has in place, under the direction of a school nurse or other individual designated under subclause (I), a comprehensive school-based allergies and asthma management program that includes--
``(aa) a method to identify all students of such school with a diagnosis of allergies and asthma;
``(bb) an individual student allergies and asthma action plan for each student of such school with a diagnosis of allergies and asthma;
``(cc) allergies and asthma education for school staff who are directly responsible for students who have been identified as having allergies or asthma, such as education regarding basics, management, trigger management, and comprehensive emergency responses with respect to allergies and asthma;
``(dd) efforts to reduce the presence of environmental triggers of allergies and asthma; and
``(ee) a system to support students with a diagnosis of allergies or asthma through coordination with family members of such students, primary care providers of such students, primary asthma or allergy care providers of such students, and others as necessary.''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)(E)--
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting ``, such as the school nurse'' after ``individual''; and
(B) in clause (i), by inserting ``school nurse or'' before ``principal''.
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Mr. PALLONE. 2468.
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, more than 8 percent of children in the U.S. under the age of 18 live with asthma. For these children and children with respiratory issues caused by asthma, access to appropriate treatment and trained personnel can mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations.
In 2004, Congress authorized children's asthma treatment grants to expand access to medical care for children who live in areas with a prevalence of asthma. Today, CDC provides financial assistance to health departments in 24 States and Puerto Rico to ensure that guidelines-based medical management and pharmacotherapy for those with asthma are both available and accessible. The CDC also offers funding to State programs and national organizations promoting asthma quality measures and informing policymakers about the burden of asthma.
H.R. 2468, the School-Based Allergies and Management Program Act, takes the most recent data and builds on this program to make it work best for kids and schools today. To achieve this, preference will be given for certain grants to States that require schools to have a school-based allergies and asthma program, as well as the presence of a school nurse or other trained personnel who can support students and staff treat those with allergies and asthma.
Helping States and schools to better support students and families treat asthma and allergies is critical to the health and well-being of our students, and this bill will go a long way towards achieving this goal.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank Majority Leader Hoyer for his leadership on this bill as well as our colleague, Representative Roe. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is our majority leader.
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2468, the ``School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act,'' which would provide important guidance to schools on how to support students who have asthma.
Across the United States nearly 25 million people have been diagnosed with asthma, including almost 7 million children.
Childhood asthma is a common, chronic pediatric condition, affecting 6.3 million children.
Morbidity from childhood asthma adversely affects school performance, with 1 in 2 children reporting school absences due to asthma each year.
These asthma related absences influence academic achievement, leading to decreased levels of reading proficiency and increased risk of learning disabilities.
Improving health and school-related outcomes for children with asthma requires the use of school-based partnerships that focus on integrated care coordination amongst families, clinicians, and school nurses.
The best defense to asthma attacks is immediate treatment as soon as symptoms present themselves.
Instead of contributing to the nearly 2 million asthma-related emergency room visits each year, this bill would provide schools with the necessary guidance on how to treat asthma attacks and support lung health of student while in school and at home.
Improving health and school-related outcomes for children with asthma requires the use of school-based partnerships that focus on integrated care coordination amongst families, clinicians and school nurses.
Every day in America 30,000 Americans have an asthma attack, and 11 are killed by them.
The School-based Asthma Management Program as outlined by H.R. 2468, is supported by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
For asthma care, the School-based Asthma Management Program has four components to integrate schools, and specifically school nurses, within the asthma care team.
First, the creation of a Circle of Support amongst the families, clinicians and schools' nurses are centered around the child with asthma.
Second, the creation and transmission of Asthma Management Plans to schools, which includes an Asthma Emergency Treatment Plan for emergency management of asthma symptoms and an individualized Asthma Action Plan for each child with asthma.
Third, the development of a comprehensive Asthma Education Plan for school personnel.
Finally, a comprehensive Environmental Asthma Plan to assess and remediate asthma triggers at home and in school.
This bill is supported by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
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