Air quality program expands with Kaiser Permanente grant
Love My Air monitoring expands into 3 local health clinics.
DENVER — Denverites will have even more access to hyper-local air quality information this year, thanks in part to a $400,000, 2-year grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fund at The Denver Foundation.
Through the Kaiser Permanente grant, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment is expanding the Love My Air program’s air monitoring network into 3 local health care clinics and broadening the sensor network’s data to a wider range of air pollutants.
The new air monitors will be placed at the Kaiser Permanente East Denver Medical Offices, Tepeyac Community Health Center, and Inner City Health.
DDPHE will also provide additional air quality education.
Love My Air sensors provide real-time air quality updates that can be monitored through an app.
Love My Air is a hyper-local air quality monitoring program launched by the DDPHE to enhance air quality awareness and foster community engagement.
The program has a network of sensors placed in schools, parks, and neighborhoods across Denver, providing real-time air quality data, which residents can monitor through the Love My Air app. The information allows community members to track pollution levels and make proactive informed decisions about outdoor activities.
The app also offers detailed information on various pollutants, personalized health tips, and air quality forecasts.
By installing air monitors in health care settings, DDPHE seeks to bridge the gap between air quality data and public health, providing healthcare professionals with the tools they need to support patients in managing respiratory conditions and other health issues related to air quality.
“Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to improve the lives of the communities we serve, and environmental health is a major factor in that work.” said Mike Ramseier, Kaiser Permanente president. “We are supporting this program because helping people make informed decisions around local air quality fosters health equity for our communities.”
The expansion comes in time for Air Quality Awareness Week (May 6-10), which is coordinated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and highlights the effects of air quality to support environmental health. By collaborating with local health care centers, Love My Air can reach more Denver residents and health care professionals with information about how to use air quality data to make informed choices about their health.
“We’re excited for the expansion and awareness this grant will provide so more residents will have access to detailed information about their air quality in their neighborhood and their block,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “This data will empower all of us to take action to ensure all of our neighborhoods have greener and better air.“
The expansion into clinics builds on Love My Air’s mission to provide Denver’s diverse communities with visible, accessible, and actionable air quality information.
For more information about the Love My Air program and its expansion into local clinics, visit the Love My Air website.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.