Breathe Pennsylvania

BREATHE PENNSYLVANIA'S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER WESTERN PENNSYLVANIANS TO BREATHE BETTER AND LIVE HEALTHIER THROUGH EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF LUNG HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

LUNG DISEASE EDUCATION- IN 2022-23 BREATHE PA'S SCHOOL ASTHMA INITIATIVE PROVIDED SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED ASTHMA EDUCATION IN 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS (20 SCHOOLS), DISTRIBUTED 207 STUDENT ASTHMA TOOL KITS TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA AND TRAINED 7 PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS IN THE FIELD OF NURSING OR RESPIRATORY CARE. BREATHE PA ASTHMA CEU CLASS "CURRENT ASTHMA CLASSIFICATION/TREATMENT GUIDELINES AND BREATH SOUNDS TRAINING WAS COMPLETED BY 22 SCHOOL NURSES REPRESENTING 10 SCHOOLS (8 DISTRICTS) AND ISSUING NURSES A TOTAL OF 50 CEUS. PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA RECEIVED 207 EDUCATION KITS FOCUSING ON ASTHMA MANAGEMENT. LUNG DISEASE EDUCATION WAS PROVIDED TO 313 INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE WHO ATTENDED EDUCATION SESSIONS AT 13 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR SERVICE AREA. THESE INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL-GROUP EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS HELP PEOPLE BETTER MANAGE THEIR RESPIRATORY CONDITION. IN THE SESSIONS, INDIVIDUALS LEARN ABOUT MEDICATIONS, DEVICES USED TO DELIVER MEDICATIONS, DISEASE PROCESSES, THE CARE AND CLEANING OF EQUIPMENT, HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. BREATHE PA HELD THE 9TH ANNUAL TUBERCULOSIS CONFERENCE VIRTUALLY ON MARCH 15TH 2023. THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 103 ATTENDEES WITH 51 NURSING CREDITS AND 12 RESPIRATORY CREDITS HANDED OUT. BREATHE PA ALSO HELD A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE "TB FUNDAMENTALS IN THE SCHOOL SETTING" ON NOVEMBER 3RD 2022 THAT PROVIDED 1.25 NCPD AND ACT 48 CREDITS TO 18 SCHOOL NURSES. TO SUPPORT PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS WITH SLEEP APNEA SCREENING TOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, BREATHE PA PROVIDED 10 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE BOXES TO PRIMARY CARE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE AREA. BREATHE PA PROVIDED SLEEP APNEA PATIENT ASSISTANCE TO 10 PATIENTS. THERE WERE 4 SLEEP GROUPS PROVIDED VIRTUALLY WITH A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 43 PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND PROFESSIONALS.

TOBACCO EDUCATION AND CESSATION- STAFF/ADMINISTRATION TRAINING - THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND HIGHER EDUCATION STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TOBACCO AND NICOTINE EDUCATION. ALL ASPECTS OF TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE ARE ADDRESSED, INCLUDING CIGARETTES, SMOKELESS TOBACCO, ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES, MARIJUANA, HOOKAH, CIGARS, AND PIPES. USING A VARIETY OF VISUALS, SCHOOL STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS LEARN HOW TO IDENTIFY DEVICES AND THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF NICOTINE. 252 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN THE STAFF/ADMINISTRATION TRAINING. CESSATION- SMOKELESS SATURDAY IS AN ALTERNATIVE OR COMPLEMENT TO FINE OR SUSPENSION FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH TOBACCO OR NICOTINE PRODUCTS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. IT IS A HALF-DAY, DIVERSIONARY PROGRAM THAT INFORMS STUDENTS ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR TOBACCO USE AND TEACHES THEM HOW TO QUIT. STUDENTS ARE REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL, DISTRICT JUDGES, OR PARENTS. SMOKELESS SATURDAY SERVED 859 (1169 REFERRED) STUDENTS IN THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR. SMOKE FREE FOR LIFE IS AN EIGHT-CHAPTER ADULT CESSATION PROGRAM THAT CAN BE HELD IN THE COMMUNITY OR WORKPLACE. IT ADDRESSES EVERY ASPECT OF TOBACCO USE, AND TEACHES PARTICIPANTS HOW TO QUIT AND REMAIN TOBACCO FREE FOR A LIFETIME. 25 FACILITATORS WERE TRAINED TO CONDUCT SMOKE FREE FOR LIFE CLASSES, WHILE APPROXIMATELY 793 PARTICIPANTS WENT THROUGH THE SMOKE FREE FOR LIFE CESSATION PROGRAM IN THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR. THROUGH GENERAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, CESSATION SERVICES WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO MORE THAN 1590 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIANS

COMMUNITY OUTREACH- BREATHE PA PROVIDED OVER $49,000 IN ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH COPD AND ASTHMA IN THE FORM OF AIR CONDITIONERS, MEDICATION, AND PULMONARY REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE. 22 SCHOOLS RECEIVED NURSE TOOL KITS WITH BACK UP ALBUTEROL FOR THE SCHOOL NURSE OFFICE. THE BREATHING IN THE 'BURGH 2023 COPD CRUISE, AN EVENT FOR CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS, WAS ON JUNE 16, 2023 AND HOSTED 68 GUESTS AND VENDORS.