School-Based Asthma Therapy Program (SBAT)
Nationwide Children’s School-Based Asthma Therapy (SBAT) Program works as a liaison between schools and the asthma care provider to design a plan for students with high-risk asthma to receive asthma prevention medications at school.
SBAT is a school-based program that provides school-based pediatric health care access. Our goal is to keep the student’s asthma care with their asthma care provider while helping improve compliance of the student’s asthma controller medications. Partnering with resources in the community to help administer medication daily helps make this possible.
- School Nurses: Download a referral form
- Providers: Download a referral form
- School Staff: Access SBAT learning modules
- SBAT Booklet for School Partners: Download the booklet
- SBAT Handout for Families: Download the handout
Our Goal
Our goal is to optimize their asthma control by enlisting the assistance of the school nurse to administer the morning dose of their asthma controller medication at school.
With the help of the school nurse, we have shown increased symptom-free days and decreased hospitalizations for the students in the program.
Asthma Care Challenges
Many of the students enrolled in our program may have challenges in the home that prevent regular administration of their asthma controller medication.
Some of those challenges may include:
- Parent leaving for work before child is awake
- Multiple caregivers
- Chaotic morning routine
- Insurance issues or high medication costs
- Overdue appointment and expired prescriptions
- Poor access to care
- Recurrent asthma symptoms
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Frequent albuterol usage
- Frequent clinic visits for asthma symptoms
- Absences from school due to asthma
- Emergency squad calls for asthma
- Emergency department and inpatient visits due to asthma
What to Expect
When a student is enrolled in the SBAT program, you can expect:
-
Asthma controller medication at school
- Medication orders provided by SBAT team
- Frequent follow-up from SBAT team
- SBAT educational teaching for staff and parents
Referral
Students can be referred by school personnel, primary care physicians, asthma specialists or any other care providers the child may see.
We aim to enroll students who have symptomatic asthma who could benefit from assistance with medication administration at the school. We prefer, but it is not required, that the parent or guardian know about the referral to SBAT.
School Nurses: Download a referral form
Providers: Download a referral form
SBAT Booklet for School Partners: Download the booklet
Asthma Resources
For School Staff: The School-Based Asthma Therapy Program (SBAT) Learning Modules provide school staff with a detailed description of the SBAT program.
For Families: Access resources to help manage allergies and asthma.
- How to Use an Inhaler with a Spacer and Mask - Using an inhaler with a spacer and a mask is an asthma treatment option for smaller children and babies.
- How to Use an Inhaler with a Spacer and Mouthpiece - Learning how to properly use an inhaler with a spacer and mouthpiece for asthma ensures the medicine gets deposited into the lungs.
- When You Need to Use a Controller Medicine - A common misconception about controller medicine for asthma is that it should only be taken when having trouble breathing.
- How to Use a Dry Powder Inhaler - A dry powdered inhaler (DPI) is an asthma treatment option for older kids and teens. Using a dry powdered inhaler allows medicine to get deep into the lungs.
- How to Use a Twisthaler - Learning how to properly use a twisthaler is important to assure asthma medicine is inhaled into the airways.
School Districts Where SBAT is Currently Available
If you are interested in having SBAT services at your school, please call (614) 355-2590 or email us.
- Big Walnut Local Schools
- Canal Winchester Local Schools
- Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Columbus
- Columbus City Schools
- Delaware City Schools
- Dublin City Schools
- Fairbanks Local School District
- Gahanna-Jefferson City School District
- Groveport Madison Schools
- Hamilton Local Schools
- Hilliard City Schools
- Johnstown Monroe Local Schools
- Lancaster City Schools
- Licking Heights Local School District
- Marysville Exempted Village School District
- New Albany - Plain Local Schools
- Newark City Schools
- Olentangy Local Schools
- Pickerington Local Schools
- Reynoldsburg City Schools
- Southwestern City Schools
- Westerville City Schools
- Whitehall City Schools
- Worthington Local Schools
