Asthma Awareness Month

Event Planning Kit

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How to Plan an

Asthma Education Event

at your State Capitol

May is Asthma Awareness Month!

There is no better time to promote asthma education, including management of environmental triggers. Join EPA to
plan an educational event in your state's capitol building. To do this, you will need the support of government officials
and local communities. Things to do include:

T Contact your state legislator who can act as your
sponsor for the event. Their office can help you
obtain space in the state capitol. You will most
likely be asked to coordinate details with the
capitol's operations office.

T Sponsor education activities in the state capitol
building. Partner with other local organizations
involved in asthma education in order to pool
resources and increase attention and publicity for
the event.

T Issue an asthma proclamation (see sample on page
10).

T Plan a health fair providing free asthma screenings
and education on environmental asthma triggers
and management. Recruit local sponsors to
provide giveaways or funding to support the
health fair. Potential sponsors include area
doctors, respiratory care departments, businesses,
and non-profit organizations—that may assist in
setting up asthma screenings and identifying
additional sponsors.

T Hold a press conference to announce the state's
partnership as well as encourage the state as a
whole to participate.

T Issue press releases and publicize your event in local
newsletters, the state's Web site, and local media.

T Work with the state's press office to set up

interviews with experts in the field, people who
have asthma, and government officials. The press
office can also set up meetings for state officials
and local organizations to visit schools and
daycare facilities to promote asthma management.

T Coordinate with local governments, asthma
coalitions, manufacturers, doctors, respiratory
therapists, and school districts.

T Remember to plan your event well in advance to
address any security concerns.

And remember...

T Distribute asthma materials within state offices
and to the general public. Following are some of
the materials available to you:

~	EPA's "Clear Your Home of Asthma Triggers"
brochure;

~	EPA's "Take the Smoke-Free Home Pledge"
brochure and poster;

~	EPA's "Dusty and His Asthma Triggers"
children's funbook;

~	EPA's "Breathing Freely: Controlling Asthma
Triggers" video; and

~	EPA's "Help Your Child Gain Control Over
Asthma."

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