City directs $20M in congestion‑pricing mitigation to Bronx Asthma Initiative, expands school case management

The NYC Council’s FY27 executive budget hearing on June 5, 2026, included a city announcement that $20 million from the MTA congestion pricing mitigation program will fund a Bronx Asthma Initiative, including $8.9 million for a Bronx Asthma Program and Bronx Asthma Center and $1.1 million to expand school-based asthma case management to up to 15 Bronx schools. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670

# What’s happening
– The FY27 executive budget includes $20 million for Bronx childhood asthma programs. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670
– The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) will direct $8.9 million to a Bronx Asthma Program and Center. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670
– DOH will spend $1.1 million to expand school asthma case management, adding up to 15 Bronx schools. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3155

# Why it matters
– Children, students, and families in Bronx neighborhoods with high asthma rates will be directly affected. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3253
– The programs target fewer emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and missed school days through home remediation and school-based care. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3077

# Key details
– $20,000,000 total from the MTA congestion pricing mitigation program for Bronx childhood asthma work. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670
– $8,900,000 allocated to the Bronx Asthma Program and Bronx Asthma Center. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670
– $1,100,000 to expand the asthma case management program in Bronx schools, adding up to 15 schools. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3155
– The current asthma case management program operates in 14 schools and serves over 2,200 children annually. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3253
– Expansion aims to serve an additional 750 children directly and reach about 6,000 people through school and community training. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3253
– The initiative funds nine positions in FY2026 and 26 positions beginning in FY2027, with hiring planned in the next few weeks. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3487

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH)
– City public health agency for New York City
– Leading the Bronx Asthma Initiative and school case management expansion
– Managing $20 million in FY27 executive budget funding (announced June 5, 2026) and related hiring. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670

Bronx Asthma Center / Bronx Asthma Program
– Program within the Bronx Asthma Initiative
– Will coordinate community- and school-based asthma interventions and data analysis
– Receives $8.9 million from the FY27 executive budget allocation. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670

Office of School Health (OSH)
– Joint school-based health unit operating with DOH and NYC Public Schools
– Runs the asthma case management program in schools
– Will expand services to up to 15 additional Bronx schools under the $1.1 million allocation. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3155

At the June 5, 2026 FY27 executive budget hearing, city officials described how the $20 million congestion-pricing mitigation allocation will be used to address childhood asthma in the Bronx. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2670

DOH said the funding splits between school-based case management and community-based interventions, including home remediation for mold and pest mitigation. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=2830

DOH described the Bronx Asthma Center as a coordination hub that will work with hospitals, primary care providers, schools, federally qualified health centers, community-based organizations, and faith-based groups. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3002

Selection criteria for the 15 additional schools include being a general education K–8 school, having an Office of School Health doctor and nurse on site, a large population with poorly controlled asthma, and location in MTA-identified environmental justice communities in the Bronx. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3155

The school-based expansion will provide intensive services such as in-school medication administration, medication distribution, self-management education for students, and family education. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3253

DOH identified primary outcome metrics for the Bronx Asthma Initiative: reductions in asthma-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations for children, plus measures of school days missed and asthma control at the population level. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3077

DOH said it will analyze trends for children living in Bronx neighborhoods served by the initiative compared with other Bronx areas, and it is assessing use of a local health information exchange for pre/post analyses of ED use and admissions. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3077

DOH confirmed plans to hire program directors, a capacity building manager, an evaluation manager, community engagement staff, coordinators, and a data analyst, aiming to bring many staff on board before the 2027 school year. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3565

DOH said it will publish reports and dashboards on program outcomes, and it will build the program portal on an existing secure city system, the citywide immunization registry, to meet privacy and HIPAA requirements. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3412

DOH noted air quality monitoring is already underway and will be used alongside health outcomes to evaluate whether congestion-pricing mitigation investments affect respiratory health in targeted Bronx neighborhoods. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3487

Coordination will use an asthma network called Nikan, described as the New York City asthma network, to link community-based groups and provider organizations supporting Bronx residents with asthma. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=3002

Source: Testimony and questioning at the New York City Council FY27 executive budget hearing, June 5, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8

(Note: All descriptions above derive from testimony and exchanges during the June 5, 2026 FY27 executive budget hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8)