The respiratory project looks at the "whole picture", supporting clients with specially trained nurse educators and offering other resources, including budget services, rehab and physio.
Hawke's Bay asthmatic Paulette West is living proof the system works.
"I knew nothing - all I knew was that asthma killed people. I didn't think I'd make it to 40."
Now the 50-year-old sickness beneficiary has gone from "taking hours to peel the potatoes and not being able to walk to the letterbox", to recently completing a 9km walk.
"I used to leave my keys outside for the ambos - I had a permanent bag packed for the hospital."
Ms Te Pou said education was key. "It's a family and a community disease. Rehab is another major strategy we apply. A big part of pulmonary rehab is learning that everyone gets breathless - it's about how we deal with that effectively."
Research shows if we can improve lung and general fitness asthmatic events are reduced. "They are less likely to be at a risk of infection."
Ms Te Pou said Breathe HB was an excellent and free service which offers advice, brochures and grants for appointments.
"They are nurse educators - they are awesome. We want early detection of any change - you know your triggers - you then have control."
Last year New Zealand lost 550,000 school days to asthma. Becoming smokefree and having a healthy diet were also shown to make a dramatic difference to asthma rates.
Health professionals involved in the project are now in the process of applying for sustainable funding as it has been "such a massive success".
"We want people to know this is not the end of their life - come and see us, or a GP, practice nurse or Breathe HB."