Page ContentBright Futures is a national health promotion and prevention initiative, led by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported, in part, by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The Bright Futures Guidelines provide theory-based and evidence-driven guidance for all preventive care screenings and well-child visits. Bright Futures content can be incorporated into many public health programs such as home visiting, child care, school-based health clinics, and many others. Materials developed especially for families are also available. Features For ProfessionalsBright Futures Implementation Tip SheetsThese NEW and UPDATED tip sheets offer practical advice to help you integrate the Bright Futures approach, tools and resources into your daily practice.Learn moreBright Futures Tool and Resource Kit, 2nd Edition NEW!Completely updated Toolkit corresponding with the Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition, with key documents that work as an integrated system to assist a health care professional carry out an efficient Bright Futures health supervision visit.Learn moreBright Futures GuidelinesAt your fingertips, this manual provides the most respected recommendations for the top 12 areas of child development in 1 volume, along with the most up-to-date well-child supervision standards by visit. PDF versions are now available for reference.Learn moreMedical Screening Reference TablesThe tables provide an easy-to-use reference table for each Bright Futures well-child visit. Each table compiles the relevant history, risk assessment questions, and action to take if the risk assessment shows a positive result.Learn moreBright Futures WebinarsMake sure to sign up for the latest Bright Futures webinars beginning in April 2017. Learn about the revised and updated Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition from the editors themselves. Learn moreBright Futures EQIPP CoursesThese courses are designed to help physicians interpret the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents into everyday practice, with practical suggestions for implementation.Learn moreImplementing Bright Futures in Public HealthProfessionals can hear recorded audio stories of Bright Futures implementations and read highlights of how Bright Futures is being used by state agencies as the standard for well-child care and as essential content throughout many public health programs. Learn morePerforming Preventive ServicesDesigned to accompany Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition, this manual provides effective ways to deliver the preventive services that are suggested in the Guidelines.Learn moreFor FamiliesThe Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to ExpectThis NEW handout, The Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to Expect, helps families prepare for their regular check-ups. This tip sheet is available in English and Spanish.Learn moreBright Futures Activity Book—Available in English and SpanishTo encourage parent-child interaction, the Bright Futures Activity Book provides a fun, informative, and interactive overview of the 10 themes from the Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition.Learn more Highlights and Announcements October 26, 2020Rural Practices Telehealth Stipend - Application Deadline Extended to November 2, 2020The “Supporting Providers and Families to Access Telehealth and Distant Care Services for Pediatric Care" project is a grant between the AAP and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to support telehealth access and infrastructure for the provision of comprehensive care to children and adolescents, including children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and other vulnerable pediatric populations, utilizing a medical home approach during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this grant, the AAP is launching a program that will provide small stipends to practices serving pediatric patients and families. The stipend program will offer $5,000 to community-based practices that serve rural areas (with an emphasis on underserved populations in those areas) and are new to telehealth implementation. The program will support practices with the implementation of telehealth and distance care through participation in a 6-month virtual learning community. Applicants can include practices with non-pediatrician physicians, such as pediatric nurse practitioners and family physicians. Click HERE for more information.Applications can be completed by clicking HERE or by returning completed proposals to Robinn Yu: ryu@aap.orgDeadline for applications: November 2, 2020, by 7 pm CT.Contact: Oyin Oloniniyi (ooloniniyi@aap.org)Click HERE for the Information Session Recording.Password: Telehealth2020October 19, 2020Technical Help Offered as Part of Telehealth ProjectAs part of the Supporting Providers and Families to Access Telehealth and Distant Care Services for Pediatric Care project, the AAP is offering free technical assistance to pediatric health professionals. This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with no percentage financed by nongovernmental sources. Technical assistance services can include connection to tools and resources and subject matter experts. Email distantcare@aap.org with requests.October 19, 2020The Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) is seeking public input on A Blueprint for Change: Guiding Principles for Advancing the System of Services for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) and Families (Blueprint)Please submit comments via email to CYSHCN@hrsa.gov and reference "CYSHCN Blueprint RFI" in the subject line. Deadline: Monday, November 30, 2020 by 11:59 PM ET.In the fall of 2019, MCHB began working with a small group of CYSHCN experts and families to reexamine systems of care for CYSHCN and to identify priorities and opportunities that can advance those systems and improve outcomes. The result is a draft Blueprint that can inform programs and policy at the community, state, and federal level. Please note: Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) may be made publicly available; do not include any proprietary or confidential information. HRSA/MCHB will not respond to any individual comments, except to clarify written responses. HRSA also will not respond to questions about potential policy issues related to this RFI.October 16, 2020Interactive Town Hall Series on COVID-19 The AAP recently launched a bi-weekly series of virtual town halls linking members with leading experts to discuss emerging issues related to caring for patients and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is interactive to help pediatricians prepare for a variety of scenarios during the pandemic. Previous town halls are available here.Register and submit your questions for the experts here.October 15, 2020Bright Futures/Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Implementation Tip SheetDeveloped in partnership between the Bright Futures National Center (BFNC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program, the BF/EHDI Implementation Tip Sheet highlights newborn screening and referral follow-up as outlined in the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th Edition. This tip sheet includes checklists and screening algorithms for the birth to 6-month period to ensure screening, surveillance, referral, and intervention occur at appropriate times for optimal development.October 15, 2020Breastfeeding & Lactation Support for Medical Trainees Implementation ProjectThe AAP & American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) are working together to support the Breastfeeding & Lactation Support for Medical Trainees Implementation Project, funded by a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Research shows medical residents and other medical professionals are a risk group for not reaching their breastfeeding goals. This project aims to increase medical trainees’ positive experiences with lactation.Click here to apply by November 20, 2020. Contact Kera Beskin for more information.October 14, 2020AAP E-cigarette and Vaping ECHO OpportunityThe AAP E-cigarette and Vaping ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) serves as a forum for pediatricians, other physicians, and nonphysician clinicians from pediatric primary care practices to address youth e-cigarette use. Using evidence-based clinical interventions, this ECHO will help pediatric clinicians prevent youth initiation and support youth who are already addicted to e-cigarettes. Participating pediatricians will have the opportunity to earn American Board of Pediatrics Part 4 Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit as well as continuing education credits. The program will meet monthly from February – July 2021. Pediatric practices who are interested in improving delivery of e-cigarette support services to adolescents in clinical practices must apply by October 31, 2020. If you have questions, contact Amy Shah. Click here for more information. Click here to apply by October 31, 2020.October 14, 2020AAP Epilepsy Management ECHO OpportunityThe National Coordinating Center for Epilepsy is launching a QI collaborative, AAP Epilepsy Management ECHO. The ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) program builds a bi-directional virtual knowledge network whereby participants from the primary pediatric practices will learn from experts and each other, gaining access to evidence-based and capacity-building resources to improve the access to quality care for children and youth with epilepsy. The AAP project team is seeking up to 20 primary pediatric practices to participate in this 10-month QI collaborative starting November 2020. The ECHO sessions are conducted monthly for 1 hour combining both a brief lecture presentation and de-identified, in-depth practice-based case in the format of PDSA cycles for discussion, problem-solving and guidance. For more information, visit the AAP Project ECHO website.Click here for more information. Click here to apply by October 31, 2020.October 14, 2020Ending the HIV EpidemicThe Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America initiative is a whole-of-society plan, launched in 2019, that aims to reduce annual new HIV infections by 75% by 2025 and 90% by 2030. To achieve these aims and reduce disparities, reaching and supporting youth who have yet to be reached will be essential. Thus the essential role of pediatricians: developing trusting relationships with patients at the entry point of health care and normalizing sexual health and drug use discussions and screening, providing PrEP and PEP and linking to HIV treatment. To end the epidemic, pediatricians are key. Click here for resources that can support pediatricians and other health care professionals in your essential role in Ending the HIV Epidemic.October 13, 2020Extended Deadline: October 16, 2020 — ***Attention*** Please Submit New or Re-enter Comments: Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (Periodicity Schedule)If you submitted comments between August 20th, 2020 (beginning at 12:00 am ET) and August 27th, 2020 (before 11:00 am ET), please re-enter your comments. There was a system error in the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule Public Comment database collection system. The system error has been corrected. Thank you for your understanding and assistance.A Federal Register Notice has been issued extending the public comment opportunity on proposed updates to the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule (related to hepatitis C virus infection screening). Comment as an individual or on behalf of an organization. This review is web-based only and the Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule Workgroup (BFPSW) will take comments into consideration.Public Comment Webpage: https://mchb.hrsa.gov/maternal-child-health-topics/child-health/bright-futures.html.October 8, 2020AAP Influenza Preparedness ECHOThe American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recruiting health care professionals to be a part of the AAP Influenza Preparedness ECHO. This ECHO serves as a forum for pediatric health care providers to increase knowledge, skills and self-efficacy in regard to influenza preparedness, including influenza vaccination, while providing a space to hear real-time questions and concerns. Contact AAP Project ECHO at aapecho@aap.org for any questions. Begins October 21 & 23, 2020 (2 cohorts). Apply online.October 5, 2020National Child Health Day & Week Twitter CampaignTo celebrate National Child Health Day & Week, both HRSA and the AAP are participating in the #5ForKidsHealth twitter thread campaign. Each day this week, HRSA and the AAP will tweet a new message using the #5ForKidsHealth hashtag. Please help amplify the messages by commenting with your own child health-related messages for this observation. September 30, 2020AAP Podcast Series: Pediatrics On CallEach episode of the AAP Pediatrics On Call podcast features interviews about new research and hot topics in the field of pediatrics. Hear about the most important innovations in pediatrics, from the people who are behind them. While designed for pediatricians and other health professionals, the podcast will also appeal to parents, caregivers and anyone else interested in the science behind children’s health. On the latest episode, Pathways to Pediatrics, hosts David Hill, MD, FAAP, and Joanna Parga-Belinkie, MD, FAAP, interview Paul Offit, MD, FAAP, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Offit explains how his childhood scars created in him a need to advocate for children.September 30, 2020Pediatric Mental Health Minute SeriesReal-time education to support pediatricians caring for children and youth with mental health disorders. Watch the latest video, Psychosocial Treatment by Robin H. Gurwitch, PhD.September 15, 2020Webinar Series: E-cigarettesThe AAP Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence is hosting a series of free webinars led by subject matter experts that focus on clinical and policy approaches to address youth e-cigarette use and prevention with adolescents, families, and communities. The first webinar, “E-cigarettes 101,” will be held on Thursday, September 24 at 7p CT/8p ET. Click here to register**Those that pre-register will have access to the recording after the live event