Tacoma-Pierce County Asthma Prevention Partnership: Clean Air for Kids  Asthma ranks among the most common chronic conditions in then United States today. In response to the needs of children and families with asthma in the region, the Tacoma Pierce County Asthma Prevention Partnership: Clean Air for Kids was established in 1997.  The overall goals of the project are to improve the health of children with Asthma and other respiratory illnesses in order to prevent emergency care and hospitalization and to help ensure that children with Asthma lead normal,healthy lives. The project employs a community-based model.   Members of the partnership include the American Lung Association of Washington and Tacoma, Tacoma Pierce County Health Department,Universityof Washington Seattle and Tacoma, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center, Tacoma Public Schools, Puyallup Tribal Health, Group Health Cooperative, and the Master Home Environmentalist Program.  Project activities include free home environmental assessments by trained volunteers. Home assessment training includes environmental health hazards, how indoor pollutants affect health, and low cost methods to reduce risks. Trained volunteers conduct home environmental assessments with families who have children with asthma using the Home Environmental  Assessment List that was developed by the American Lung Associations Master Home Environmentalist Program.  Other aspects of the project include community-based health promotion, free mattress and pillow covers, and program evaluation.   The Tacoma-Pierce County Asthma Prevention Partnership: Clean Air for Kids project was initially funded by the Washington State Department of Health and also received funding from the Group Health/Kaiser Permanente Community Foundation. The partnership is the recipient of a 3 year grant from the National Heart,Lung,and Blood Institute grant. The $440,000 grant was submitted by the American Lung Association of Washington on behalf of the Partnership. The purpose of the new grant is to extend activities of the partnership using an outreach worker to coordinate asthma care for high risk families.  Current activities of the Clean Air For Kids Program, including home environmental assessment training and referral coordination will be continued.  Dr. Janet Primomo has been a member of the Partnership since Summer, 1997. She will develop and oversee the evaluation component of the program,  assist with planning activities, and link students with the project.   Link:  American Lung Association of Washington  Janet Primomo, PhD, RN   email:  jprimomo@u.washington.edu  Associate Professor   University of Washington, Tacoma  Box 358421  1900 Commerce Street  Tacoma, WA  98402   Phone:  (253) 692-4475   Fax:  (253) 692-4424