In Hartford’s Promise Zone, programs like Easy Breathing for Schools and North Hartford Ascend are transforming how asthma care and child development support are delivered to students across the community. These initiatives show how targeted, school- and community-based efforts can improve health and well-being for children and families.
Easy Breathing for Schools is a nurse-centered, school-based asthma program designed to identify and support students with poorly controlled asthma. It equips school nurses with tools to assess asthma control, evaluate inhaler technique, and coordinate care with families and providers, helping reduce preventable absences and improve daily health.
North Hartford Ascend is a prenatal-to-career initiative funded by a U.S. Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods Grant Program. Focused on the North Hartford Promise Zone, Ascend brings together schools, community organizations, health providers, residents, and more to support children and families across all areas of development—academic, social, and physical.
At WISH Elementary School, these programs are coalescing to make a real difference. During a recent site visit, asthma care supplies, including nebulizers, spacers, pulse oximeters, and other essentials, were delivered to the school nurse to ensure students have timely access to care during the school day. WISH, one of the North Hartford Ascend target schools, actively uses tools from Easy Breathing for Schools, such as the Inhaler Technique Checklist. These resources empower school nurses to manage asthma proactively, reducing chronic absenteeism while keeping students healthy and ready to learn.
Creating a Connected System for Child Health
Central to this collaborative effort is Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health (OCCH). OCCH plays a vital role in supporting programs like Easy Breathing for Schools and North Hartford Ascend, ensuring they are connected and collaborating to maximize impact. OCCH supports the infrastructure needed for systems-level solutions by aligning sectors, fostering collaboration, and supporting tools, evaluation, and innovation.
This integrated approach is critical for addressing complex challenges like childhood asthma, where medical care alone is not enough. Children need coordinated, targeted, and integrated systems of support that connect care at school, in the clinic, and within the community.
A Collaborative Model for Whole-Child Health
The synergy between Easy Breathing for Schools, North Hartford Ascend, and OCCH is more than a partnership; it is a model for how communities can support the whole child. By integrating care and community, this approach strengthens the systems that children rely on every day.
As this work continues, it offers a blueprint for other communities seeking to connect health and education systems aimed at lasting outcomes that benefit all children and communities. When we build strong infrastructure for child health, we don't just treat illness; we create the conditions for children, families, and communities to thrive.