Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America St Louis Chapter

The breath (bridging resources to encourage Asthma treatment and health) program served a total of 118 children in 18 counties in the St. Louis region in 2022. 33 of these children received full pay prescription assistance for Asthma and Allergy medication while they were applying to medicaid or another long term insurance source. 85 children received year round co-pay assistance to pay for Asthma and Allergy medicine. 956 prescriptions were filled in the year on this program. Both full pay and co-pay assistance program include regular telephonic Asthma coaching to ensure children are staying adherent to the medication regime prescribed by their doctors. 93% of kids on the program increased their score on the national Asthma control test while on the program. 100% of children who were previously frequent hospital patients reported one or fewer emergency room visits in their first three weeks on the program. Upon diagnosis over 1000 children were given backpacks full of medical and educational resources. Referred to as "new diagnosis kits" these are an attempt to expedite control. 29 children were provided a bed or pillow encasing to reduce Asthma and Allergy symptoms at home. The rescue (resources for every school confronting unexpected emergencies) program provided 4,000 pieces of Asthma emergency equipment to 401 schools in the St. Louis region and trained school nurses on how to use them. Through this partnership, 89% of the children who were treated with this equipment while at school were able to return to class instead of being sent home or to the emergency room, resulting in increased learning for children, savings for parents, and increased state reimbursements (ada) for schools. With state funding from Illinois and Missouri, rescue has begun planning and implentation across both states. Once fully implemented rescue will serve over 5,000 schools and will be the largest non-government school-based Asthma intervention in the country. Aafa-stl also provides education for schools, school nurses and general public through various virtual and in-person events. Over 2,000 constituents took part in some learning component in 2022.