Laws and actions have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% by 2030, and stimulate tens of thousands of jobs. Asthma treatment is not only dependent on the individual, but also on family members, professionals, colleagues, friends, and the community as a whole. Awareness, support, environmental conditions, and policies all play a role in controlling the disease. Policies must provide resources that are accessible and affordable to all stakeholders.
Community coalitions have the capacity to bring about changes in policies and systems that affect disease prevention and treatment. New York City is blazing a trail in taking action on climate change without waiting for federal support. The mayor has announced plans to take action in New York City with the OneNYC 2050 initiative and the associated Green New Deal for NYC. This will help keep New York at the forefront of what cities are doing, by demonstrating how transformative climate action can support development pathways with climate resilience under conditions of equity. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project involved allied coalitions from seven regions of the United States. These coalitions worked to initiate community-wide changes that would affect thousands of children with asthma.
Policy change was defined as the enactment of new policies or changes or implementation of existing policies, whether public or organizational. Table 1 shows the figures and examples of the changes in policies and systems carried out by allied coalitions in different fields over five years of work. Periodic surveys and coalition tracking provided documentation on the participation of coalition members, including the number and type of organizations and individuals that participated in the collaboration. Examples of participants included community schools, hospitals and clinics, managed care organizations, health care providers, community organizations, government agencies, Medicaid, academic institutions, and businesses. The power of coalitions to bring about meaningful change in public policy is undeniable. By working together to identify areas where policy change is needed, coalitions can create a unified voice that can be heard by decision makers.
Through their collective efforts, coalitions can create a ripple effect that leads to real change in public policy. This can lead to improved access to resources for those affected by asthma, as well as improved environmental conditions that can help reduce asthma symptoms. The impact of coalitions on public policy is clear: they have the potential to create meaningful change that can benefit entire communities. Through their collective efforts, coalitions can create a ripple effect that leads to real change in public policy.
