New PediaLink Course: Fighting Racism to Advance Child Health Equity

Structural racism, implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, and cultural humility are all concepts taking center stage in the medical community as we strive to end racism and improve health equity. Based on the Pediatrics for the 21st Century (Peds 21) program at the 2020 AAP National Conference, Fighting Racism to Advance Child Health Equity is a series of educational videos that explores what these concepts mean for pediatric health care professionals in practices, institutions, and communities, and how to advance child health equity by applying an anti-racist lens to the systems shaping health and medicine. By the end of the series, you will be ready, able, and inspired to help address the inequities that contribute to health disparities, create the conditions we know support healthier children and families, and ensure all children and adolescents have a fair chance at a healthy future. This online video series is eligible for Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part 2 credit. There is no cost associated with the course. The course can be found here. 

Screen & Intervene: A Toolkit for Pediatricians to Address Food Insecurity

The AAP and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) have released an updated toolkit, Screen & Intervene: A Toolkit for Pediatricians to Address Food Insecurity, designed to help pediatric health care professionals identify and address childhood food insecurity. The toolkit provides specific information so that pediatric health care professionals can:

• screen patients for food insecurity using the Hunger Vital Sign™, a simple, two-question tool to better identify children living in households struggling with food insecurity.
• sensitively address the topic,
• connect patients and their families to federal nutrition programs and community resources, and
• advocate for greater food security and improved overall health of children and their families.

The toolkit was made possible by support from the Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. Also, check out Dr. Kimberly Montez's, one of the toolkit authors, blog post, Recognizing and Addressing Food Insecurity Among Families. Please direct all questions to cocp@aap.org.

The STAR Center offers free technical assistance to pediatric health care professionals seeking to improve early childhood screening, referral, and follow-up in their practice or health care system. Whether you are just getting started or are looking to enhance your current process, our staff and advisors are available to answer questions and provide guidance. Don’t forget to visit the STAR Center website to subscribe to receive the eNewsletter or you can listen to the latest episode of the Pediatric CARE: Childhood, Adversity and Resiliency Education podcast on iTunes or Sound Cloud.

AAP E-Cigarette and Vaping Curriculum

This new curriculum describes clinical and community strategies to address youth e-cigarette prevention and cessation, based on current evidence and best practices.

#CallYourPediatrician: Campaign Update

As part of the #CallYourPediatrician campaign, a new AAP public service announcement (PSA) was launched on April 6^th. Watch and share the PSA (Spanish version) with your colleagues, patients, and families. The news release, fact sheet, and infographics are customizable.

Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Toolkit Available

This toolkit includes graphics and resources to share on social media to prevent ACEs by helping families and caregivers create positive childhood experiences. For many families, sad or tragic events happen that are unpredictable; these events can affect how a child feels and behaves. Stable, nurturing relationships with caring adults can buffer children from some of this harm. Find the toolkit here.

Telehealth

Toolkit Available

A new communications toolkit of telehealth resources is now available on AAP.org. Download graphics and videos and link to HealthyChildren.org articles to help families and caregivers understand the basics of a telehealth appointment and how to get ready for one. One HealthyChildren.org article discusses how telehealth can enhance mental health care. Share these tools on your website, email, and social media to let families and caregivers know telehealth is an option in your clinical setting. Find the toolkit here.

Recording Available: Virtual Office Hour – Considerations for Safety and Suicidality in a Telehealth Environment

Listen in as pediatrician and addiction medicine specialist Lucien Gonzalez, MD, MS, FAAP and child and adolescent psychiatrist Elise Fallucco, MD, DFAACAP discuss important considerations for safety and suicidality in a telehealth environment. Dr Gonzalez and Dr Fallucco shared practical strategies that pediatric health care professionals can use to evaluate patient confidentiality, assess suicide risk, and connect patients and families to resources via telehealth. A brief Q&A session follows the discussion. Click here to access the recording.

Technical Assistance Available from the AAP Distant Care Project

As part of the “Supporting Providers and Families to Access Telehealth and Distant Care Services for Pediatric Care” project, the AAP is offering free assistance to pediatric health professionals on the following topics:

• Implementation of telehealth and distant care services in pediatric practice
• Implementation of telehealth and teleconsultation for behavioral/mental health services
• Use of telehealth to support adolescent health promotion
• Use of telehealth for children and youth with special health care needs, including those with autism spectrum disorder, other developmental disabilities, and medical complexities
• Use of telehealth in pediatric practices serving rural and underserved communities
  
  

Technical assistance services can include connection to tools and resources and subject matter experts. Email distantcare@aap.org for assistance requests. Please note: the AAP does not endorse or support the use of any specific telehealth technology and does not provide technical assistance on the use of any one specific telehealth technology.

These resources are supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with no percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.