Sustainable, Healthy Learning Environments in Rural and Tribal Schools in Montana

The American Lung Association received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help build capacity for sustainable, healthy learning environments in rural and tribal schools in Montana. Children can be exposed to environmental health risks such as wildfire smoke, asthma triggers, tobacco/vaping, radon exposure, and COVID-19. The overall goal is to reduce childhood exposures to environmental contaminants by increasing the number of schools establishing lung-friendly policies and practices.

The work is:

  • Locally led, individualized, and sustainable
  • Conducted in partnership with rural communities and sovereign tribal nations.
  • Offered through the Lung Association’s Lung Friendly Schools program and features free training, tools, and support
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The Lung Association will work with key partners to share and discuss goals, as well as identify and recruit schools to participate in assessment, education, and training opportunities that meet their needs. These partners will help create unique Lung Friendly plans for each school.

Anyone interested in providing healthy learning environments for Montana children can get involved. We are currently looking for: 

  • Schools interested in programs and resources to help protect the lung health of their students at no cost
  • Communities interested in participating in this free capacity building opportunity
  • Individuals willing to serve as partners to guide the project

Access a shareable resource outlining the programs and resources available through this project and described in detail below.

Connect with us!

Learn more about the topics this program focuses on by clicking on a header below. 

Programs and Resources for Schools

Asthma Programs

Find programs from the American Lung Association that promote asthma-friendly environments and help educate students, parents and teachers on asthma management.
Learn More

Commercial Tobacco and Vaping Intervention and Cessation Programs

Find resources from the American Lung Association to learn about tobacco cessation and quitting smoking or vaping.
Learn More

More Resources from the American Lung Association

Find even more resources from the American Lung Association from lung health to clean air.
Learn More

Asthma Programs

These programs are designed to help schools build safe and healthy environments for students and staff with asthma, but will benefit everyone who attends, works in, or visits the school.

The American Lung Association’s Montana-specific ONE Step program offers training and practical application exercises designed to empower Early Childhood Educators and organizations serving low-income parents with the information and resources they need to help protect young children from secondhand smoke and aerosol from commercial tobacco products. There is no cost to participate. Training benefits include:

  • Learning about the harm and common misconceptions around environmental aerosol and smoke from commercial tobacco products.
  • Exploring how to engage effectively with parents and guardians about the effects of secondhand smoke, secondhand e-cigarette aerosol, and secondhand marijuana smoke
  • Understanding the importance of maintaining a home free of commercial tobacco and marijuana smoke, and aerosol from electronic smoking devices
  • Encouraging “no smoking/no vaping” practices in any space shared with children
  • Learning about commercial tobacco cessation resources available in Montana

Open Airways for School is an asthma management education and empowerment program for kids ages 8 -11. Certification is free to organization staff serving rural and tribal communities in Montana for a limited time. Learn more!

Kickin' Asthma is an asthma self-management education program for kids ages 11-16. Certification is free to organization staff serving rural and tribal communities in Montana for a limited time. Learn more!

The Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative provides a framework and tools that communities and schools can use to work together on a comprehensive approach to asthma. Learn more!

The Four Steps for Creating an Asthma-Friendly School Training – is a series of short interactive modules designed to help schools and school districts create a safe and healthy learning environment for students with asthma. Participation is free. Start your training now!

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Commercial Tobacco and Vaping Intervention and Cessation Programs

These programs are designed to help schools respond effectively to tobacco and vaping violations and help students quit commercial tobacco use and vaping for good. Learn more about help youth quit here.

The Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health (INDEPTH) is a convenient alternative to suspension or citation program that helps schools and communities address the teen vaping problem in a more supportive way. Learn more!

The N-O-T program is designed with teenagers aged 14-19 in mind and addresses issues that are specifically important to them. Certification is free to organization staff serving rural and tribal communities in Montana for a limited time. Learn more!

More Resources from the American Lung Association

  • Radon
    Learn more about radon, a radioactive cancer-causing gas, how to detect it and protect against it
  • Radon Basics
    A free one-hour interactive online learning program designed to help people understand more about radon
  • Commercial Tobacco Facts
    Find out how smoking and other tobacco products affect your health, what’s in a commercial cigarette, how commercial tobacco 
  • E-Cigarettes & Vaping
    Learn more about e-cigarettes and vaping
  • Tobacco Basics
    A free one-hour online course including five learning modules designed to lay the foundation in understanding the toll of tobacco use in the U.S.

  • Clean Air at School
    Learn about indoor air quality in schools, how to know if there’s an issue with and how to protect the air in schools.
  • Clean Air at Work
    Explore how to identify potential air quality problems at work, prevent future problems, and address any issues identified
  • Clean Air at Home
    Better understand indoor air quality at home, how to maintain and protect it as well as provide adequate ventilation
  • Clean Air Outdoors
    Expand your knowledge of air pollutants and how to understand the air quality index
  • Climate Change
    Focus on how climate change impacts lung health and what can be done to mitigate it
  • Emergencies & Natural Disasters
    Improve your understanding of how emergencies and natural disasters impact lung health
  • Asthma
    Gain a basic understanding of asthma and learn about how to manage and control it
  • Asthma Basics 
    A free one-hour interactive online learning module designed to help people learn more about asthma.
  • What is Asthma Animation

  • Asthma Patient Resources and Videos
    Find a host of resources designed to help you manage asthma. You’ll find Asthma Action Plans, a free asthma medication chart, and helpful videos on how to use medications and a variety of other topics.

  • COVID-19
    Find up to date information about COVID-19, vaccines and support for lung COVID
  • Kids and COVID-19 Vaccines
    Contains everything you need to know about kids and COVID-19 vaccines
  • Preventing COVID-19
    Learn about steps you can take to prevent yourself and others from getting ill with COVID

  • RSV 
    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that can infect people of all ages. Explore more about this virus, its symptoms, and treatment.
  • The Flu 
    Influenza, or flu, is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread from person to person.  Learn more about the flu, symptoms, and how to prevent and treat it
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This publication was developed under a Cooperative Agreement for Grant No. 95820812 awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It has not been formally reviewed by EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the American Lung Association and EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication.

Page last updated: November 20, 2024

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