National Capital Asthma Coalition

The National Capital Asthma Coalition (NCAC) is an alliance of public and private member organizations that provide asthma education, care management and delivery, institutional collaboration, and continuity of care. Members include children’s hospitals, Medicaid providers, community health centers, and representatives from the school district, the department of health, child-care providers, universities, environmental health programs, businesses, and community organizations. The coalition is organized into five committees: policy, education, health services, environment, and data. NCAC has created a common asthma action plan for DC, school district medication policies, and an asthma-friendly schools training and awards program. The program also provides physician and school nurse asthma care education, workshops in the community, and a home environmental intervention program.

The goal of the National Capital Asthma Coalition is to form partnerships between organizations to improving the care and outcomes for children and adults with asthma.

The NCAC has grown to include 300 members from more than 70 agencies. Community outreach and education programs reach more than 6,000 residents each year through 90 free workshops. The program has used Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) seminars to train 255 health care providers, and has trained 150 school nurses in standards of asthma care. Through its five committees NCAC has helped shape and implement the D.C. Department of Health’s strategic asthma plan, created an interagency school policy group, and launched a partnership with public schools to implement the EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program. The coalition has conducted bilingual asthma fairs and launched A+ LIVE (Asthma Learning is for Everyone) a family asthma education program.