Trump administration cuts nearly $1 million in asthma grants in Massachusetts
This comes as western Massachusetts has some of the highest numbers when it comes to people living with asthma. Back in 2019, Springfield was dubbed the asthma capital for the number of cases and emergency room visits.
Since then, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said his administration has been working hard to get better, but now the latest funding cut is making that more difficult.
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'This is about public health, public health,' Mayor Sarno said. 'There is no wasteful spending here.'
As the Trump administration continues to cut federal funding, the latest cuts are directly impacting western Massachusetts and the efforts to address asthma. In a report from the American Lung Association, in Hampden County specifically, 5,576 children and over 43,000 adults suffer from asthma. The county received a 'D' grade for poor air quality.
'I know firsthand, my youngest daughter Chiara has a serious bout of asthma, and the other trigger effects of all the other health challenges that come with that,' Mayor Sarno said.
One of those challenges is allergies, as many allergies are triggers for asthma, including pollen, something that is prevalent outside right now. The loss of federal funding is directly impacting Revitalize CDC, an organization that helps residents with in-home asthma remediation.
'The rug was pulled out from right beneath us,' said Colleen Shanley-Loveless, President and CEO of Revitalize CDC. 'We have clients we are in the middle of helping.'
Shanley-Loveless said they have been working on this funding for the past six months, as it would be able to help anyone, even those without the specific insurance. She said with their help, they are seeing anywhere as high as 30% improvement, keeping kids in school, adults able to go to work, and reducing hospital visits.
'Let's save the room in the emergency department for people who really need it,' Shanley-Loveless said. 'If these people are able to provide the services and education so they don't have to go there.'
Not only does Revitalize CDC help with remediation and preventative efforts, but they also educate children and adults on how to control their asthma.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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