The Contra Costa Asthma Coalition (CCAC) is an inclusive, broad-based partnership of organizations and individuals whose mission is to strengthen Contra Costa County’s ability to prevent asthma and improve the lives of people affected by asthma. It does this by:
· Helping asthma-related organizations to learn from each other, coordinate their services, and enhance the level of care,
· Promoting public education and programs that reduce health disparities and are responsive to the needs of the community, and
· Advocating for improved local, state, and federal asthma-related programs, policies and legislation.
Over the past year, the CCAC’s activities have focused primarily on asthma education and outreach, land use and transportation issues, the use of environmentally preferred cleaning products in schools, and regional emissions reduction advocacy. The Coalition’s asthma education and outreach efforts have involved the distribution of the Blueprint for Asthma Action: A Report for Awareness and Advocacy in Contra Costa County. The Coalition developed this document to provide a status on asthma for the county, create a plan to address issues associated with asthma, and educate stakeholders on how to reduce the negative health impacts of asthma within Contra Costa County. Coalition members have been actively involved in promoting and distributing the Blueprint. One Coalition member appeared on Comcast Local Edition, a television show that highlights activities and programs throughout the Bay Area. The clip aired throughout the month of May 2007. Another CCAC member and Asthma Nurse for the Contra Costa Health Plan presented the Blueprint to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors along with a student from a local high school in recognition of Asthma Awareness Month. The high school student provided testimony on the impact that asthma has had on members of her family. The Blueprint was also highlighted in a Contra Costa Times newspaper article in June 2007. Through distribution of the Blueprint, hundreds of thousands of Contra Costa residents have been educated about the impact of asthma in Contra Costa County and they have also been provided with recommendations for actions they can take to help reduce environmental triggers for asthma. To obtain a copy of the Blueprint, please contact Carol Shenon at ccac-admin@hotmail.com.
In the Land Use and Transportation arena, the Coalition has actively participated in several projects such as the North Richmond Truck Route, the Concord General Plan update, and Project 12898, which is funded through a Cal Trans planning grant. In 2006, the Community Development Department of Contra Costa County received a planning grant from the Department of Transportation to address the issue of truck routes in West Contra Costa County. CCAC staff and members partnered with Community Development, community residents, other local agencies and groups to hold community meetings to develop alternative truck routes. These alternative routes are an effort to improve air quality, reduce diesel air pollution and to ensure that the trucks no longer travel in areas where children live, play and learn. Based on the collective input and feedback of residents, local business owners, and City governments, an alternative truck route was developed and approved by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in April of 2007. The final route includes a plan for signage limiting truck tonnage and identifying where trucks may and may not travel. It also redirects truck traffic so that heavy-duty trucks no longer travel in areas where residents live, work, play or learn. Community Development is now in the process of seeking funds to implement the new route. The CCAC will continue to partner with Community Development and the other groups mentioned above to advocate for the implementation of the project plan and enforcement of the approved truck route.
Contra Costa Health Services received a planning grant from Cal Trans to assess the movement of goods in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Goods movement is projected to increase significantly statewide, regionally, and locally. The CCAC, Community Health Initiative, Neighborhood House of North Richmond, Pacific Institute, and West County Toxics Coalition have joined together to work with the community to try to address current impacts and to mitigate or prevent the potential future impacts of the growth in goods movement. Asthma Community Advocates and other community outreach workers have been trained to conduct presentations about the issue of “goods movement” and the effect that it has on the community. The movement of goods can heavily influence land-use and transportation decisions and it has the potential to increase diesel air pollution. In either case, the community must be at the table to voice their concerns as efforts to expand goods movement are underway. Residents and community-based organizations have been invited to address this matter by participating in a workshop, which will be held on September 26, 2007. The purpose of this workshop will be to identify and assess the current impact of goods movement in various West County neighborhoods and to begin to look at areas of concern that need further exploration through research.
The CCAC encouraged the insertion of a wood smoke policy in the City of Concord’s General Plan. The General Plan update provides an ideal opportunity for policy changes to be made that will positively impact the health of the City’s residents. After months of direct advocacy, the Concord Planning Department confirmed that the draft General Plan would include a policy prohibiting the installation of wood-burning fireplaces in new residential development, except for EPA-certified wood-burning devices. In addition, Concord committed to seek funds to support a wood stove change out project for existing homes. However, the Concord City Council has the power to remove this policy prior to finalizing the plan. Therefore, the CCAC will continue to follow the progress and is prepared to offer additional testimony in order to ensure that this important issue is addressed.
In an effort to reduce indoor environmental triggers for asthma, CCAC staff and coalition members have been involved in developing a green procurement policy for Martinez Unified School District (MUSD). This collaborative project has engaged the MUSD Wellness Committee, the PTA, members of the MUSD School Board, the Superintendent, the Facilities and Operations Manager, and the director of the Green School Initiative. The MUSD has committed to help the CCAC to draft language for a green procurement policy during the 2007-08 school year. The Facilities and Operations Manager has already begun to purchase and pilot environmentally preferred products with the hopes of eventually utilizing these products throughout the entire school district.
The CCAC continues to be an active participant in regional efforts to prevent asthma through the Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative (DDDC) and the Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative (BAEHC). Since October 2004, the Bay Area DDDC has built a powerful coalition of environmental justice communities, environmental health organizations, labor unions, trucking associations, and impacted residents to reduce pollution regionally and locally while building local leadership, regional awareness, and an empowered public. CCAC staff are members of the DDDC steering committee, idling sub-committee, and goods movement sub-committee.
The CCAC is also an active participant of BAEHC, which began in August 2005 with over 30 representatives from 7 Bay Area coalitions. BAEHC is driven and unified by the following vision statement: “Everyone has the right to breathe clean air, drink safe water, and work, live, play and learn in healthy environments.” BAEHC’s goal is to assure better health outcomes for local residents by improving the Bay Area’s air quality through community capacity and knowledge building and the establishment of protective public policy measures.
Lastly, the CCAC recently received two grants from the Kaiser Permanente Community Benefits Program East Bay and Diablo Valley service areas. The purpose of these grants is to conduct outreach and education throughout Contra Costa in schools, childcare centers, clinics, and to the community on topics such as “First Aid for Asthma”, diesel idling reduction, as well as to promote the use of less toxic “green cleaning” products and the implementation of AB 2132. Coalition partners participating in this project include the Asthma Community Advocates, La Clinica de La Raza, Contra Costa Childcare Council, Brookside Community Clinic, and Contra Costa Health Services. This project will officially begin in the Fall of 2007 and will allow us to expand our efforts to reduce environmental triggers for asthma through education, advocacy and policy change.
For more information, please contact:
Cedrita Claiborne, MPA
CAFA Project Coordinator
(925) 313-6861
cclairbo@hsd.cccounty.us
|
Printer Friendly 
