A statewide multiagency intervention model for empowering schools to improve indoor environmental quality

A large population of children and adults is potentially exposed to indoor environmental quality (IEQ) hazards in schools. Those with asthma are particularly at risk because IEQ-related hazards in school buildings can trigger asthma episodes. A multiagency consortium created and led by the Connecticut Department of Public Health has successfully implemented and continues to sustain the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) Tools for Schools (TfS) program in the majority of Connecticut public schools. TfS is an action kit and program promoting a low-cost, problem-solving team approach to preventing IEQ hazards or improving IEQ. One key to the consortium's success is the array of services it provides to schools, including aggressive outreach and specialized training and consultation. The consortium is also a platform for launching other school IEQ initiatives. The authors present and analyze the consortium model and their efforts at evaluating the impact of TfS in Connecticut.