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February 2021 Dear Colleague,   We are pleased to announce the February 2021 installment of Bright Futures eNews.   If you are new to Bright Futures, watch this 2-minute About Bright Futures video to get started using the Bright Futures recommendations in your health promotion and disease prevention practices and with programs and families in your community.   Consider using the video in presentations about Bright Futures. Share the link with colleagues in various settings in which Bright Futures is being used (eg, clinics, home visiting, child care, school-based health centers, public health settings, etc.).   Bright Futures Highlights New and Updated Resources | Bright Futures Implementation   Visit the Clinical Practice page on the Bright Futures website to view the complete collection of clinical implementation tip sheets, including 1 updated and 2 new tip sheets. These handy tip sheets offer practical advice to help you integrate the Bright Futures approach, tools, and resources into your daily practice.  Promoting Mental Health (NEW)  Promoting Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (NEW) Created in partnership with the AAP Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program Tips to Link Your Practice to Community Resources (Updated) New Resource for Title V Programs | Bright Futures Presents: Resources, Strategies, and Experiences to Advance NPMs 11 & 12 The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) hosted a webinar that featured key resources, strategies, and real-world experiences to assist state Title V MCH program's efforts to advance National Performance Measures 11 (Medical Home) and 12 (Transition). Presenters included representatives from the Bright Futures National Center (BFNC), state Title V MCH programs, Got Transition, and the National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home (NRC-PFCMH). Click here to view the archived webinar. Click here to view the slide deck. Click here to access numerous AAP resources from the NRC-PFCMH. Click here to access resources from Got Transition. Reminder | Bright Futures Parent and Patient Education The Families page on the Bright Futures website contains valuable resources for children, teens, and families about well-child visits. The Parent and Patient Education page includes easy-to-access, web-based education for caregivers and patients related to each well-child visit from birth through age 21. The guidance is organized by age and stage: Infancy, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adolescence, and is available in both English and Spanish.  Reminder | Bright Futures Pediatric Residency Resource Library   Residents & Trainees – Browse the new Pediatric Residency Resource Library for easy-to-find information, tools, and resources related to clinical care, education, and general topics to help stay up to date and strengthen your practice. We will continue to refresh and revise the library - so continue to check it out! Faculty – please share with your students! Click here to access the Pediatric Residency Resource Library. Questions? Contact Us! Would you like more information about Bright Futures materials and resources? Contact us at BrightFutures@aap.org or 630/626-6783.    AAP Features AAP Equity Agenda The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) believes that all systems of care should seek to promote and achieve health equity for all children. The AAP Equity Agenda guides the Academy’s efforts to achieve health equity and actualize our goals to become an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization. The AAP Equity Agenda sets forth explicit and intentional action to support the Academy’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and ensures this action permeates all aspects of the Academy’s functioning. The workplan delineates objectives and activities for the 1st year of the AAP Equity Agenda and were largely informed by the AAP policy statements, The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health and Truth, Reconciliation, and Transformation: Continuing on the Path to Equity. Click here to access the AAP Equity Agenda. AAP Response to COVID-19   The AAP is working to provide necessary support to pediatric health care professionals, patients, and families during this unprecedented public health crisis. As work continues to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and to develop appropriate guidance and resources, the AAP provides streamlined, accurate, and up-to-date information to its members and the public. The AAP has provided guidance on a variety of topics, including well-child visits (to which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] also links), safe schools, newborn screening, and telehealth. Guidance continues to reinforce that well-child care should be consistent with Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents, 4th Edition and the corresponding Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (Periodicity Schedule).   For information and guidance for health care professionals regarding COVID-19, click here.  For families, visit HealthyChildren.org. National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home 2-part Webinar Series – Making Connections: The Critical Role of Family-Centered Care in Addressing Social Determinants of Health for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) The NRC-PFCMH, in partnership with the BFNC and the Screening Technical Assistance and Resource (STAR) Center, implemented an educational webinar series titled, Making Connections: The Critical Role of Family-Centered Care in Addressing Social Determinants of Health for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN). The goal of this 2-part webinar series is to provide state Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH)/CYSHCN programs, pediatricians, families, and others with information about the impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) on CYSHCN and their families as well as implementation strategies for state programs. The series discusses the role of these groups and state systems in addressing SDoH for CYSHCN by using components of the medical home model. The 1st webinar provides relevant background information about how CYSHCN are impacted by SDoH, including a review of current data. The 2nd webinar features 2 state Title V MCH/CYSHCN programs that discuss how their states are addressing SDoH for CYSHCN. Click here to access the webinar series. Fact Sheet – Implementing Medical Homes for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) within Medicaid Managed Care Developed by NRC-PFCMH, in partnership with the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), this fact sheet highlights how promotion of medical homes for CYSHCN within Medicaid managed care delivery systems can be an effective strategy to support the delivery of health care services. This information helps to meet medical home model standards. Case studies outline strategies for collaboration among Medicaid, Title V Maternal and Child Health/CYSHCN programs, and pediatricians to increase the number of CYSHCN receiving care through the medical home model. Click here to access the fact sheet. Screening and Special Health Care Needs Initiatives Developmental Surveillance Mini (Spark) – Training for Pediatric Clinicians and Practices Identify and discuss developmental surveillance best practices in the clinical setting. This free training (developed with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) includes a ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation, facilitator script, and case study. The training can be facilitated by health care professionals or staff in various roles and is specifically designed to “spark” discussion and reflection. Facilitators can anticipate the training to last approximately 15-30 minutes and can be presented anywhere from staff meetings to professional development opportunities. Content in the training is grounded in the AAP clinical report, Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children With Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening. Download a copy today!  The Screening Technical Assistance & Resource (STAR) Center 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, the STAR Center 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 podcast episodes: Family Centered Counseling Techniques and Protective Factors and Positive Childhood Experiences on iTunes or Sound Cloud.     AAP Spotlight: Telehealth Virtual Office Hour Series: Responding to the Pandemic of Mental Health Needs - Providing High-Quality Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents via Telehealth Session 2: Considerations for Safety and Suicidality in a Telehealth Environment Date and Time: Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 | 12pm – 12:30pm CT Join pediatrician and addiction medicine specialist Lucien Gonzalez, MD, MS, FAAP and child and adolescent psychiatrist Elise Fallucco, MD, DFAACAP as they discuss important considerations for safety and suicidality in a telehealth environment. Dr Gonzalez and Dr Fallucco will share practical strategies that pediatric clinicians can use to evaluate patient confidentiality, assess suicide risk, and connect patients and families to resources via telehealth. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive Q and A session following the discussion. This series is being offered as part of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded AAP initiative, “Supporting Providers and Families to Access Telehealth and Distant Care Services for Pediatric Care.” Go to the Bright Futures Highlights and Announcements (bottom of home page) to access the registration link.   Recording Available – Virtual Office Hours: Using Telehealth to Respond to Mental Health Challenges during COVID-19 The AAP has launched a new Virtual Office Hour series, “Responding to the Pandemic of Mental Health Needs: Providing High-Quality Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents via Telehealth.” The recording of the first 30-minute session, hosted by Christopher Bellonci, MD, FAACAP and Cori Green, MD, MSc, FAAP, is now available. The first session, “Using Telehealth to Respond to Mental Health Challenges during COVID-19,” shares practical strategies for using telehealth to improve access to and continuity of mental health care. Click here to watch the video.   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 technical assistance to pediatric health care 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 technical 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.   Telehealth 101: Get Plugged in to Your Children's Health Pediatricians, pediatric specialists, and non-physician clinicians have been using telehealth more often during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person visits are not always possible. The convenience and benefits of these visits mean telehealth likely is here to stay. This new HealthyChildren.org article offers tips to help families/caregivers prepare for a video visit. These projects 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. About the AAP Bright Futures National Center   Inclusion in this publication does not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP is not responsible for the content of these resources. Website addresses are as current as possible but may change at any time.   This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $5,000,000, with 10 percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the US Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov. Contact BrightFutures@aap.org for more information. American Academy of Pediatrics 345 Park Blvd Itasca, IL 60143 To unsubscribe from the Bright Futures eNews, click here.

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Bright Futures Highlights Public Comment Opportunity -- Extended Deadline (Oct 16, 2020)  Proposed Update to the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule  Attention: If you submitted public comments between August 20 (beginning at 11:00 am CT) and August 27 (before 10:00 am CT), please re-enter your comments due to a system error. Thank you for your understanding and assistance.  A Federal Register Notice has been issued for public comments on a proposed update to the Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (Periodicity Schedule). The update aligns with the United States Preventive Services Task Force's recommendation that all individuals ages 18 to 79 be screened at least once for hepatitis C virus infection screening. To review background information and submit a public comment, visit the Maternal and Child Health, Health Resources and Services Administration Bright Futures webpage.   New Webpage for Residents & Trainees | Bright Futures Pediatric Residency Resource Library Residents & Trainees -- Browse the new Pediatric Residency Resource Library for easy-to-find information, tools, and resources related to clinical care, education, and general topics to help stay up to date and stregthen your practice. We will continue to refresh and revise the library - so continue to check it out! Faculty - please share with your students! New States & Communities Resource | Bright Futures Resources for State Title V Maternal & Child Programs    Bright Futures and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) co-developed a curated resource list of key resources from the Bright Futures National Center and relevant AAP resources. ​ Updated State Implementation Stories | Hawaii, Kansas, and New Mexico    Learn how the Bright Futures materials and resources are being used across the country by selecting a state from the drop down list on the States & Communities webpage. The newest state implemenation stories are provided by Hawaii, Kansas, and New Mexico.  Reminder | Bright Futures Tool & Resource Kit, 2nd Edition - Sample Forms for Review The Bright Futures website includes reference samples of the Core Forms from the Bright Futures Tool & Resource Kit, 2nd Edition (which is consistent with the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th Edition). These samples provide an opportunity to review the Previsit Questionnaire, Visit Documentation Form, and Parent/Patient Educational Handout for each well-child visit from birth through age 21. The core forms are organized by age and stage: Infancy, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adolescence and are posted in both English and Spanish.  Click here to review the Core Forms.  Reminder | Bright Futures Parent and Patient Education The Families webpage on the Bright Futures website contains valuable resources for children, teens, and families about well-child visits.  The Bright Futures website includes web-based educational handouts for patients, and parents/caregivers related to each well-child visit from birth through age 21. The anticipatory guidance is consistent with the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th Edition. This guidance is organized by age and stage: Infancy, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adolescence, and is available in both English and Spanish.  Click here to access the Parent and Patient Educational Handouts.  Reminder | Bright Futures/AAP 2020 Periodicity Schedule is Available The 2020 Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (Periodicity Schedule) was published in the March 2020 issue of Pediatrics. The Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule is updated annually. Be sure to check the date in the top right corner of your Periodicity Schedule to ensure that you are referencing the most updated version.  Reminder | 2020 Coding for Pediatric Preventive Care Booklet is Available In addition to the 2020 Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule, the Coding for Pediatric Preventive Care booklet was revised and is available for download. This complementary resource contains comprehensive listings of codes and services that coincide with the 2020 Periodicity Schedule.   If you have questions about the 2020 Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule or Coding Booklet, or would like to receive a few hard copies to share with your clinics, colleagues, students, or families, contact us at BrightFutures@aap.org.  Questions? Contact Us! Would you like more information about Bright Futures materials and resources? Contact us at BrightFutures@aap.org or 630/626-6783.    AAP Features National Conference & Exhibition | October 2 - 5, 2020 (Virtual)   This year's AAP National Conference & Exhibition is a virtual experience. If you are attending, please come visit the Bright Futures National Center virtual booth (as part of the AAP Resource Center). Also, please plan to check out this year's on-demand/recorded Bright Futures-related session, Breaking Barriers to Improve Health Supervision Visits. Faculty, Ed Curry and Judy Shaw, will discuss strategies to eliminate common barriers to implementing Bright Futures health supervision recommendations in various topic areas, such as oral health and social/emotional health. Attendees will learn how to incorporate patient/family participation in office flow and apply systems-building strategies. Ongoing Series | Pediatric Mental Health Minute Series  The Pediatric Mental Health Minute Series provides real-time education to support health care professionals caring for children and youth with mental health disorders. Watch the latest videos, ADHD, Mental Health Promotion and Problem Prevention and Screening Tools.   As September is Suicide Prevention Month, don't forget to watch the Suicide health minute and access the related resources, such as the AAP Suicide Prevention campaign.     New Webinar | Developmental Surveillance    Developmental Surveillance: Understanding and Incorporating into Practice. In this brief webinar, Toni Whitaker, MD FAAP and Jennifer Zubler, MD FAAP highlight the importance of developmental surveillance and screening for children and strategies to incorporate developmental surveillance into practice using case studies and important updates from the recently published AAP clinical report, Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening. Clinician and family-centered developmental surveillance resources, including educational resources, are also discussed.   New PediaLink Courses | Developmental Surveillance & Autism Spectrum Disorder Milestones Matter: Don't Underestimate Developmental Surveillance. The main goals of this course are to help pediatric health care professionals recognize the value of early identification and intervention when developmental delays are suspected and to identify the key surveillance and screening steps they should incorporate into their practice. Identifying and Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Course for Pediatric Clinicians. This course will increase knowledge among pediatric health care professionals on evidence-based practices for screening, evaluation, referral for diagnosis and management of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).     New Podcast Episode | Pediatric CARE: Childhood Adversity and Resilience Education  Tune into the American Academy of Pediatrics STAR Center podcast entitled Pediatric CARE: Childhood, Adversity and Resiliency Education. You can hear conversation for pediatricians and other pediatric health care professionals and partners working to address social determinants of health (SDoH) in their pediatric setting. Search for “STAR Center” on iTunes, Google Play or Sound Cloud. New Podcast Episodes | Conversations about Care  The Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight, in partnership with the Bright Futures National Center, launched this series to highlight pragmatic and lively conversations between health care professionals. In a recent episode of Conversations About Care, Dr. Sandy Hassink speaks with Joseph A. Skelton, MD, MS for discussion on patient retention strategies for obesity care. On another, Dr Hassink speaks with Blaise Nemeth, MD (Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Madison) who is a non-operative pediatric orthopedics and pediatric obesity expert. Dr Nemeth is also the lead author of the AAP policy statement, Physical Activity Assessment and Counseling in Pediatric Clinical Settings.   Click here to listen to the episodes.  About the AAP Bright Futures National Center   Inclusion in this publication does not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP is not responsible for the content of these resources. Website addresses are as current as possible but may change at any time.   This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $5,000,000, with 10 percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the US Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov. Contact BrightFutures@aap.org for more information. American Academy of Pediatrics 345 Park Blvd Itasca, IL 60143 To unsubscribe from the Bright Futures eNews, click here.

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New Resource! Bright​ Futures Implementation Tip Sheets Two brand-new Bright Futures clinical implementation tip sheets are available for download on the Bright Futures website:  Promoting Oral Health Promoting Healthy Weight These handy tip sheets offer practical advice to help you integrate the Bright Futures approach, tools​, and resources into your daily practice. New Article! Making Futures Brighter: Improvements in Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Children and Families​​ The Bright Futures National Center authored an article that was published in the January/February 2020 edition of the AMCHP Pulse - a bi-monthly newsletter from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. The article, titled "Making Futures Brighter: Improvements in Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Children and Families," highlights significant improvements that have been made in understanding the impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) on children, families, and communities, and how Bright Futures can be used as a valuable tool in identifying and addressing SDoH within a health supervision visit.  To access the full article, click here.​ ​2020 Periodicity Schedule is Now Available​ The 2020 Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care, also known as the Periodicity Schedule, was published in the March 2020 issue of Pediatrics. Here is a summary of the change to the 2020 Periodicity Schedule:  Footnote 16 has been updated to read as follows: “Screening should occur per 'Incorporating Recognition and Management of Perinatal Depression Into Pediatric Practice’.”  The Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule is updated annually. Be sure to check the date in the top right corner of your Periodicity Schedule to ensure that you are referencing the most updated version.  ​​ ​2020 Coding for Pediatric Preventive Services Booklet Now Available In addition to the 2020 Periodicity Schedule, the Coding for Pediatric Preventive Care booklet has been revised and is available for download. This complementary resource contains comprehensive listings of codes and services that coincide with the 2020 Periodicity Schedule.   If you have questions about the 2020 Periodicity Schedule or Coding Booklet, or would like to receive a few hard copies to share with your clinics, clinicians, students, or families, contact us at BrightFutures@aap.org.  Questions? Contact Us! Would you like more information about Bright Futures materials and resources? Contact us at BrightFutures@aap.org or 630/626-6783.

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Bright Futures Highlights

New! 2020 Periodicity Schedule is Now Available   The 2020 Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care, also known as the Periodicity Schedule, is published in the March 2020 issue of Pediatrics. Here is a summary of the change to the 2020 Periodicity Schedule:  Footnote 16 has been updated to read as follows: “Screening should occur per 'Incorporating Recognition and Management of Perinatal Depression Into Pediatric Practice’.”  The Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule is updated annually.  Be sure to check the date in the top right corner of your Periodicity Schedule to ensure that you are referencing the most updated version.  If you have questions about the Periodicity Schedule, or would like to receive a few hard copies to share with your clinics, clinicians, students, or families, contact us at BrightFutures@aap.org.​​ Coming Soon! 2020 Coding Booklet    In addition to the 2020 Periodicity Schedule, the Coding for Pediatric Preventive Care booklet has been revised and will be available for download soon. This complementary resource contains comprehensive listings of codes and services that coincide with the 2020 Periodicity Schedule.​​​ Questions? Contact Us! Would you like more information about Bright Futures materials and resources? Contact us at brightfutures@aap.org or 630/626-6783.

AAP Features New! Adolescent Health Resources at the AAP New AAP Resource: Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Adolescent Patients: Information for Pediatricians The AAP Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence and Section on Tobacco Control are pleased to share a new resource, “Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Adolescent Patients: Information for Pediatricians.” This resource is intended to help health care professionals use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to help adolescents who wish to quit smoking and/or quit e-cigarette use. New Adolescent Health Webpage and Resources on AAP.org Clinical and educational materials related to confidential clinical preventive services for adolescents and young adults are freely available on the new AAP adolescent health webpage: www.aap.org/AdolescentHealthConsortium. A series of videos, infographics, and posters directed at adolescents and parents were created as part of the Adolescent Health Consortium project, a collaboration between American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists aimed to increase knowledge and utilization of confidential health care services for youth. The webpage also includes a report that details project aims, research findings, and practical steps that pediatricians, parents, and youth can take to support adolescent and young adult health (consistent with the Bright Futures Guidelines). Key AAP resources are also available on the webpage for easy reference.​ New Podcast Episode! Conversations about Care The Conversations About Care Podcast, created by AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight in partnership with Bright Futures, highlights pragmatic and lively conversations between health care providers about important themes. They identify practical, practice related strategies associated with healthy childhood weight and share resources to support patient-centered care within the changing landscape of medicine and social norms. In this conversation, Dr Sandy Hassink is joined by Natalie Muth, MD, FAAP, a dual-board certified pediatrician, registered dietitian, obesity medicine physician and a lead author of the AAP policy titled "Public Policies to Reduce Sugary Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents." Dr Muth is also the current Chair of the AAP Section on Obesity. Drs Hassink and Muth discuss current recommendations and strategies for addressing sugary drink consumption with families in a primary care setting. They also discuss national policy and advocacy recommendations that are on the horizon. To listen, visit the podcast webpage at https://ihcw.aap.org/Pages/Podcast.aspx. New Online Course - Milestones Matter: Don't Underestimate Developmental Surveillance The AAP offers a FREE online PediaLink course that highlights the importance of developmental surveillance as an essential component of the new recommendations in the clinical report titled, “Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening.” This course will help health care professionals recognize the value of early identification and intervention when developmental delays are suspected, and to identify the key surveillance and screening steps to incorporate into practice. Participants are eligible for 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and 1 Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part 2 points.​

In Other News...

New Resource for Building a Referral Process Universal developmental screenings can help identify children who are at risk of having or developing a delay. Children identified by a developmental screen should be referred for further assessment and interventions that will positively impact their lifelong health and wellness. An effective screening process relies on successful referrals though—without a referral, families can never access the supports the child may need. This resource, "The Act of Making a Referral is Not Enough," from the National Institute for Children's Health Quality, outlines 5 steps for pediatricians and nonphysician clinicians to build a referral process that works.  AAP Pediatrics for the 21st Century (Peds 21) - Video Recordings This symposium, Opioids Through the Ages: Caring for Children and Families in the Wake of the Opioid Crisis, from the 2019 AAP National Conference & Exhibition examines the impact of opioids on child health from the prenatal period through adolescence, providing health care professionals with knowledge, tools, and resources to help patients and their families.  AAP Opportunity - First CME Course on Media Training Most families gather medical information online and through traditional news outlets. Misinformation abounds, making it important for health care professionals to share evidence-based content in these spaces. This course, Harnessing the Power of Traditional and Social Media in Health Care, will teach effective engagement strategies including best practices for social media platforms, content curation, storytelling, blog writing, podcasting, video creation, writing for print publications and participating in television interviews. Dates: June 13-14, 2020 Location: AAP Headquarters (Itasca, IL) Registration is now open.

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Bright Futures Highlights

New! Bright Futures Family Tip Sheet Now Available in Spanish   The Bright Futures tip sheet for families, The Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to Expect, is now available in Spanish! This tip sheet is written in plain language and is a great resource for families.    The Well-Child Visit - Why Go and What to Expect - SPANISH / ENGLISH   Questions? Contact Us! Would you like more information about Bright Futures materials and resources? Contact us at brightfutures@aap.org, or 630/626-6783.

AAP Features Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight Launches Podcast - Conversations about Care with Dr Sandy Hassink In partnership with Bright Futures, AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight has created a pilot podcast series called Conversations About Care. The focus of the series is to highlight pragmatic and lively conversations between health care providers. Host, Sandy Hassink, MD, FAAP, dialogs with guests about important themes in practice associated with healthy childhood weight and related practical strategies and resources to support patient-centered care within the changing landscape of medicine and social norms.   Episode 1 - Picky Eating In this conversation with Chris Bolling, MD, FAAP, a primary care pediatrician from Kentucky and Chair of the Section on Obesity, Sandy and Chris discuss their challenges and solutions to addressing picky eating with patients and families. Several resources are highlight throughout the conversation, to listen to the podcast and access the resources, click here: https://ihcw.aap.org/Pages/Podcast.aspx New Informational Series from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Safe and Sound: Responding to the Experiences of Children Adopted or in Foster Care   Children and youth who have experienced trauma and adversity need the adults in their lives to recognize and understand how those events may affect their lives—especially their development and behavior. Safe and Sound: Responding to the Experiences of Children Adopted or in Foster Care was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics with support from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Jockey Being Family. This informational series has custom guides for the adults in the lives of these children and youth: A Guide for Parents, which includes a fillable form for the child’s pediatrician, outlining his/her past experiences, and a 1-page guide that parents can share with other adults in the child’s life; A Guide for Caseworkers; A Guide for Early Education and Child Care Providers; and A Guide for Teachers, Counselors, and Other School Professionals Working With School-Age Children and Youth. The guides can also be used for training and professional development purposes.   What's the Latest with the Flu?  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement "Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2019–2020" offers updated recommendations for routine use of seasonal influenza vaccines and antiviral medications for the prevention and treatment of influenza in children. The AAP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to recommend annual influenza immunization of all children without medical contraindications, starting at 6 months of age. See the AAP News article for additional details. The AAP launched a new "Say Boo to the Flu" social media campaign that includes graphics for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The AAP will use #FluBeforeBoo to encourage everyone to get their flu shot before Halloween. The AAP will also be utilizing the hashtags #Ivax2Protect, #VaccinesWork, and #FightFlu throughout the 2019-2020 flu season. Visit the AAP Immunizations web page for additional information and sample tweets that can be shared on your own social media accounts. For more information about the flu, visit www.aap.org/disasters/flu.

State Spotlight: South Carolina     How South Carolina is Putting Bright Futures to Work   Quality Improvement: South Carolina's commitment to improving pediatric health care is apparent in its Quality Through Technology and Innovation in Pediatrics (QTIP) program housed at the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. QTIP was started in 2010 under a Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) federal grant. While the grant concluded in 2016, many aspects of the QTIP project still continue. From 2010 to 2015, QTIP focused on improving CHIPRA's core indicators among 30 pediatric practices. QTIP has worked on improving the implementation of Bright Futures recommendations including developmental screening, well-child visit completion rates, immunization completions, preventive oral health services, obesity prevention, maternal depression screening, autism spectrum disorder screening, family-centered care, and social determinants of health. In addition to aligning with Bright Futures measures, QTIP's initiatives also support the efforts of South Carolina's Medicaid provider—Healthy Connections—to improve pediatric well-child visits. To learn more about how South Carolina is implementing Bright Futures, click here! Visit the Bright Futures website for more information about how YOUR state is putting Bright Futures to work!  Do you have a story to tell about how you've implemented Bright Futures in your practice? Please contact us so we can feature your implementation story on our website or in a future edition of the Bright Futures eNews. Email: brightfutures@aap.org

In Other News...   Standards for Compensation of Family Partners in Research   The Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Research Network (CYSHCNet), a national research network supported by the US Maternal and Child Health Bureau, developed a standard of compensation for youth and family partners who participate on a research team. The publication outlines roles, responsibilities, and different types of supports and compensation for family members. A companion standard of compensation for research teams describes how researchers can identify, orient, support, and compensate families and youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics is represented on the steering committee of the CYSHCNet and was involved in the review of this publication.   New Tip Sheets from Got Transition Got Transition has published two new tip sheets for adult care clinicians that provide suggestions to improve care of young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities.  The tip sheets include ideas and activities to prepare an adult practice's office and staff, as well as tips to consider prior to, during, and after the initial visit.  Click here to access "Integrating Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder into Your Practice: Tips for Adult Health Care Clinicians" Click here to access "Integrating "Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities into Your Practice": Tips for Adult Health Care Clinicians"   New Infographic from the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) released a new infographic titled "Addressing Social Determinants of Health Can Improve Community Health & Reduce Costs". The infographic offers an overview of the social determinants of health, their implications for health outcomes and costs, and solutions to address unmet needs. To see this infographic, and other infographics by the NIHCM, click here.

About the AAP Bright Futures National Center   Inclusion in this publication does not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP is not responsible for the content of these resources. Website addresses are as current as possible but may change at any time. The American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures National Center eNews is funded through a cooperative agreement (grant number: U04MC31627) with the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Contact brightfutures@aap.org for more information. American Academy of Pediatrics 345 Park Blvd Itasca, IL 60143 To unsubscribe from the Bright Futures eNews, click here.

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Bright Futures Highlights New! Article: How Well-Child Visits Can Advance Health Equity:Opportunities from Bright Futures Guidelines and Tools   An article was published in the May/June 2019 Edition of the AMCHP Pulse that highlights the ways in which Bright Futures Guidelines and related resources can be used to address Health Equity during the well-child visit. To access the full article, click here.      New! Resource: Bright Futures Implementation Tip Sheets   The new and updated tip sheets offer practical advice to help you integrate the Bright Futures approach, tools, and resources into your daily practice. Topics include:  Implementation in Clinical Practice Integrating Adolescent Health Screening into Health Supervision Visits Promoting Healthy and Safe Use of Social Media ...and more! Be sure to check out our brand-new tip sheet for families - The Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to Expect. Tips are written in plain language for parents of children and teens of all ages to help prepare them for their well-child visit.    Questions? Contact Us! Would you like more information about Bright Futures materials and resources? Contact us atbrightfutures@aap.org, or 630/626-6783.    AAP Features AAP Releases Policy Statement on Racism The AAP released a new policy statement in late July, titled "The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health". In the statement, the AAP provides information about the ways in which racism can impact the health of children. The statement also offers practical strategies for pediatricians to reduce the effects of racism in practice and in their communities.    To read the full policy statement, click here.  School Health at the AAP National Center for Early Childhood Health and Wellness The National Center for Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) works to provide valuable information and resources to health professionals working with Head Start and child care programs throughout the United States.    The NCECHW offers some great resources related to health and school readiness - just in time for back-to-school! Some examples include:  Tip Sheet: Healthy Children are Ready to Learn - This tip sheet emphasizes that school readiness begins with health, and highlights the many ways in which families, school staff, and child care providers can support healthy development in children.   Tip Sheet: When Health Affects Assessment -This tip sheet provides important information about how a child's health can affect performance on assessments, and how to improve school readiness.  Visit the National Center for Early Childhood Health and Wellness for more information.    AAP Technical Report: School Readiness The AAP published a new technical report in the August 2019 edition of Pediatrics, titled "School Readiness". The report, which is reflective of the 2016 policy statement "The Pediatrician's Role in Optimizing School Readiness", highlights emerging research related to school readiness and health outcomes, and provides pediatricians with strategies to address disparities in school readiness.    To view the full technical report, click here.   Council on School Health The AAP Council on School Health (COSH) is made up of around 450 members from various disciplines, working together to maximize health and academic achievement in children and adolescents.    The COSH works to provide advocacy, education, and policy to achieve their mission. Current initiatives include:  Promoting Adolescent Health through School-Based HIV/STD Prevention Improving Chronic Condition Management in Schools Traumatic Brain Injury  To learn more about the Council on School Health, click here to visit their website.    State Spotlight: Wisconsin     How Wisconsin is Putting Bright Futures to Work   The primary care division of the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee has adapted the Bright Futures Guidelines as the standard of care, with the goal of improving services to all children and families that they serve. A Preventive Services Core Team - a multidisciplinary team composed of managers, pediatricians, nurses, and support staff - was tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Bright Futures Guidelines in practice. The group works to ensure that all children receive high-quality care.    In 2017, this Core Team focused on raising the completion rates for developmental screening. Upon identifying barriers to documentation of screening, a more efficient flow sheet was created in the electronic medical system, with an easier way to record information. As a result, documentation of screening results during well-child results increased over time.    The Core Team continues to engage in quality improvement, working to ensure that the entire population of children who are patients in the primary care division receive high-quality care.    To learn more about how Wisconsin is implementing Bright Futures, click here!   Visit the Bright Futures website for more information about how YOUR state is putting Bright Futures to work!    Do you have a story to tell about how you've implemented Bright Futures in your practice? Please contact us so we can feature your implementation story on our Web site or in a future edition of the Bright Futures eNews. Email: brightfutures@aap.org In Other News...   New Promising Practice and Podcast! Multidisciplinary Care Coordination Training for Children with Medical Complexity: The Arizona Experience   Developed as part of the National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home Promising Practices in Pediatric Medical Home Initiative, this profile describes how a pediatric medical center and state Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Title V/Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) program in Arizona collaborated to implement care coordination for children with medical complexity and their families. A pre-recorded, audio only podcast includes a conversation with leaders from the Arizona experience regarding multidisciplinary care coordination training for children with medical complexity (CMC). State MCH Title V/CYSHCN programs, pediatricians, families, and other pediatric stakeholders can learn practical, replicable strategies about care coordination implementation.   Educational Opportunity - Webinar: Early Childhood Education - Partnering Up to Amplify Impact  Thursday, August 29, 2019 2:00pm - 3:30pm ET High-quality early childhood education (ECE) has a positive impact on lifelong health. Research suggests that children who receive high-quality ECE are more likely to stay in school longer and earn more income as adults. This webinar, presented by the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation, will explore the following:  Evidence demonstrating the impact of high-quality early childhood education on health outcomes State challenges and proposed solutions for managing and funding early childhood programs Public-private partnerships supporting and amplifying early childhood initiatives To sign up for the webinar, click here.  About the AAP Bright Futures National Center   Inclusion in this publication does not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP is not responsible for the content of these resources. Web site addresses are as current as possible but may change at any time. The American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures National Center eNews is funded through a cooperative agreement (grant number: U04MC31627) with the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Contact brightfutures@aap.org for more information. American Academy of Pediatrics 345 Park Blvd Itasca, IL 60143 To unsubscribe from the Bright Futures eNews, click here.

The Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Periodicity Schedule has been updated as of March 2019. The following updates were made to the 2019 Recommendations: 

Note: The most up-to-date version of the Periodicity Schedule will always be located here: https://aap.org/periodicityschedule. Be sure that your website links to the current version of the Periodicity Schedule. 

If you would like to receive hard copies of the new Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule, email us at brightfutures@aap.org. 

The Bright Futures/AAP Coding for Pediatric Preventive Care booklet has been updated as of March 2019. This helpful resource provides a comprehensive listing of codes most commonly reported by pediatricians in providing preventive care services, and is aligned with the Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition. 

We have also completely updated the Bright Futures Tip Sheets, which provide valuable assistance for implementing Bright Futures in various settings. And, be sure to check out the brand-new tip sheet for families! 

The States and Communities page is continuously updated to highlight all of the activities related to Bright Futures that are happening in each State. Read the updated implementation stories for North Dakota and Wisconsin! 

Visit our website at brightfutures.aap.org to check out these updates, and more.

Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight (IHCW)

Bright Futures works closely with the Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight (IHCW) at the AAP. 

The Mission of the IHCW is to empower physicians, families and children to: 

• Better prevent, assess, and treat obesity and its comorbidities; 

• Enhance partnerships with families to find and navigate individual pathways to healthy active living; and

• Catalyze stakeholders and communities to build and enhance capacity for healthy active living.

The IHCW has some fantastic resources available for health care professionals and parents alike. Recently IHCW collaborated with Bright Futures on a 4 part webinar learning series for community health centers (as part of the HRSA Childhood Obesity Initiative). 

During this recorded webinar, Judy Shaw, EdD, MPH, RN, FAAP (one of the Bright Futures Guidelines co-editors) reviewed updates to the Guidelines and new content, including new health promotion themes, visit screening recommendations, anticipatory guidance, and more. She discussed how to efficiently and effectively integrate these new recommendations into community health center’s work and answered questions about the Bright Futures National Center (BFNC), Bright Futures Guidelines, and related resources.

During this recorded webinar, Sandra Hassink, MD, FAAP (previous president of the AAP), an internationally recognized expert in child obesity prevention, discussed key anticipatory guidance and counseling techniques and desired actions (for the health care professional and parent). She also highlighted tools and resources to support implementation. HRSA offered an opportunity for community health center professionals to learn about childhood obesity prevention:

• Why are the first five years of life critically important from an early obesity prevention perspective?

• How can health care professionals support families in establishing and maintaining healthy, active living-related behaviors?

During this recorded webinar, Tory Rogers, MD, FAAP (a member of the AAP Obesity Leadership Workgroup) addressed these topics:

• Key components of a comprehensive obesity assessment (for patients ages 2-21) in the context of a well visit

• Ways to engage patients and families in treatment

• Obesity-specific family history, physical exam and review of systems

• Potential laboratory and diagnostic tests for those at risk of co-morbidities

• Key Bright Futures anticipatory guidance

The IHCW Early Feeding Portal is home to many great resources for health care professionals to use in their practices. These resources include: 

CPTI: Community Pediatrics Training Initiative 

The Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI) of the AAP aims to improve child health by preparing pediatricians to be effective leaders and advocates for children. CPTI supports pediatricians to become leaders in community health and advocacy by promoting authentic partnerships with communities, strengthening curricula, and utilizing networks of like-minded colleagues.

To address social determinants of health, pediatricians and other health care professionals must have the skills to work with communities outside of clinic walls. The CPTI Project Planning Tool is a step-by-step guide for residents, or anyone interested in partnering with their communities, to gain the skills necessary to plan, implement and evaluate a child health advocacy project.

Learn more about the tool and its implementation in training programs, including assessment.

Download the Project Planning Tool

For more information, contact Jeanine Donnelly at jdonnelly@aap.org.

State Spotlight: North Dakota

How North Dakota is Putting Bright Futures to Work

The North Dakota Department of Health and Department of Human Services worked together to integrate Bright Futures into their statewide Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program, Health Tracks. Through this collaboration, providers throughout the state use the Bright Futures Guidelines and Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Periodicity Schedule to meet Health Tracks requirements for every child. By making this joint decision to use Bright Futures’ best practice model, the state is better able to provide more comprehensive health and developmental screenings to all children throughout the state.

North Dakota adapted the Bright Futures tools and resources to meet the unique needs of their state. With the implementation of Bright Futures, North Dakota was able to increase rate of well-child visits by up to 5% in some age categories. 

Visit the Bright Futures website for more information about how YOUR state is putting Bright Futures to work! 

Do you have a story to tell about how you've implemented Bright Future in your practice?

Please contact us so we can feature your implementation story on our Web site or in a future edition of the Bright Futures eNews.

Email: brightfutures@aap.org

The Perry Preschool Project (19620-1967) was originally developed as a randomized-controlled trial that was designed to study the effects of early childhood education for at-risk children. While it did not permanently increase the IQ of the students enrolled in the program, which was the original goal, the Preschool Project resulted in so many other benefits for participants. Students enrolled in the program experienced significant increases in employment, health, cognitive and socioemotional skills and reduced criminal activity in male participants, compared to those who were not enrolled in the program as children. 

New research published in May 2019 found that the positive outcomes have continued through midlife for participants, and have extended into the next generation - the children of the participants. Children of the Preschool Project participants were more likely to graduate high school without suspensions, and more likely to be employed full time and to have had some college experience, among other promising results.

These exciting new findings from the Perry Preschool Project suggest that high-quality early childhood programs have the potential to disrupt the poverty cycle, and even lift multiple generations out of poverty. 

To learn more about the latest research from the Perry Preschool Project, click here. 

​The Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit, 2nd Edition is now available (November 2018).
The completely updated and revised Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit, 2nd Edition is designed to accompany and support Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th Edition, the national standard for health supervision care. This second edition provides health care professionals with an organized and integrated compilation of current forms and materials that relate to preventive health supervision and health screening for infants, children, and adolescents. A new online platform allows easy access to the most current tools. Health care professionals can use or adapt these materials to meet the needs of their practices and ensure they are following the recommendations presented in the Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition when delivering care to their patients and families.

For current Pediatric Care Online (PCO) subscribers, they can view, print, and download the Bright Futures forms and tools. The new online Toolkit also has an Integration Resources center for group practices and institutions that have purchased an additional integration license. The Integration Resources center contains a variety of tools and files to aid in integrating Toolkit content into a computer system or EHR.

For more information, go to https://shop.aap.org/bright-futures-tool-and-resource-kit-2nd-edition/

​Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4^th Edition is Released!

Do not miss the completely revised and updated 4^th Edition of the Bright Futures Guidelines! It is an essential resource that provides updated background and recommendations for pediatric health promotion and health supervision for 31 age-based visits— from infancy through adolescence. With Bright Futures, you can accomplish the following 4 tasks in 18 minutes-- disease detection, disease prevention, health promotion, and anticipatory guidance! The result: more efficient visits, stronger partnerships with children and families, and greater knowledge of changes in family, communities, and society that affect a child's health.

The Bright Futures Guidelines, 4^th Edition builds upon previous editions with new and updated content that reflects the latest research. It includes 3 new health promotion themes (Promoting Lifelong Health for Families and Communities, Promoting the Healthy and Safe Use of Social Media, Promoting Health for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs), updated Milestones of Development and Developmental Surveillance questions, and new clinical content about the latest age-specific recommendations. Throughout, the Guidelines weave in recognition of social determinants of health (risks and protective factors) and an increased focus on lifelong physical and mental health.

As established in the 3^rd Edition, the first priority for each health supervision visit is to address the needs and concerns of the child/adolescent and family, and the therapeutic relationship is key to implementation.  Click here for a preview and for more information!

The Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit is undergoing revision and is anticipated to be released in early 2018.

Introductory Webinars: Bright Futures Guidelines, 4^th Edition

Make sure to sign up for the latest Bright Futures Webinars beginning in April 2017! Learn about the revised and updated Bright Futures Guidelines, 4^th Edition from the editors themselves. We will be hosting two separate 45-minute Webinars for health care professionals and public health professionals. Of course, everyone is welcome to attend either! They will be recorded and posted on the Bright Futures Web site for anyone that cannot participate in the live events.

The editors will review the new and updated components such as 3 new health promotion themes, updates to several adolescent visit screening recommendations, and more. They will discuss how to efficiently and effectively integrate these new components into your practice setting and will answer your questions about the Bright Futures Guidelines, 4^th Edition.

Bright Futures Guidelines, 4^th Edition - Introduction (for Health Care Professionals)
Wednesday, April 19th @ 1:00 PM ET/12:00 PM CT
Click here to register.

Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition - Introduction (for Public Health Professionals)
Wednesday, May 24th @ 1:00 PM ET/12:00 PM CT
Click here to register.
 

Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (Periodicity Schedule) is Updated!
Each child and family is unique; therefore, the Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care known as the Periodicity Schedule) are designed for the care of infants, children, and adolescents who are receiving competent parenting, have no manifestations of any important health problems, and are growing and developing in satisfactory fashion. Additional visits may become necessary if circumstances suggest variations from normal. Developmental, psychosocial, and chronic disease issues for children and adolescents may require frequent counseling and treatment visits separate from preventive care visits.

The Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule is a schedule of screenings and assessments recommended at each well-child visit from infancy through adolescence. These recommendations represent a consensus by the AAP and Bright Futures. The AAP continues to emphasize the great importance of continuity of care in comprehensive health supervision and the need to avoid fragmentation of care. Refer to the specific guidance by age as listed in the Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition.

For implementation and coding information for each visit on the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule, please see the
Bright Futures and Preventive Medicine Coding Fact Sheet.

For more background information, click here to review the related Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition Evidence and Rationale chapter .
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Bright Futures Implementation
NEW State Implementation Stories
Find out how your colleagues in other states are implementing the Bright Futures Guidelines by visiting the States & Communities section of the Bright Futures Web site. We have added 10 new and 5 updated implementation stories about states that are successfully implementing the Bright Futures recommendations. The new stories were developed as a part of the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal and Child Health project the AAP is participating in, and were created by interviewing AAP chapter leaders and public health representatives. The stories demonstrate a wide variety of implementation examples including incorporating the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule into Medicaid agencies, using Bright Futures measures in quality improvement projects, training multidisciplinary practitioners that provide services to families and children, and many other examples illustrating the value of flexibility of the Bright Futures content. Be sure to check-out the Bright Futures Web site for tips on implementing Bright Futures recommendations in your state, community, and practice.

Do you have a story to tell about how you've implemented Bright Future in your practice?
Please contact us so we can feature your implementation story on our Web site or in a future edition of the Bright Futures eNews.
Web site Contact Us: https://brightfutures.aap.org/Pages/contactus.aspx
Email: brightfutures@aap.org

Reminder: Please link directly to the Bright Futures/AAP Periodicity Schedule on your Web site to ensure you are accessing the most up-to-date version. Please check your current link and update accordingly.

​Connect with AAP for MOC Success
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) continues to expand its offerings for members to fulfill requirements for Maintenance of Certification (MOC). The Academy provides solutions for individuals from online QI courses to PREP self-assessments to live CME events. The AAP MOC Portfolio also provides guidance for members interested in developing or providing MOC activities through nationally-affiliated AAP groups (eg, Sections and Councils). Discover which MOC solution is right for you, and keep up with developing news at the newly revised www.aap.org/mocinfo.

​​Callie Brown, MD

Defining Picky Eating and its Relationship to Feeding Behaviors and Obesity

Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mentor:  Eliana Perrin, MD, MPH(University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

National Facilitator: Ian Paul, MD, MSc (Penn State College of Medicine/Hershey Medical Center)

Mersine Bryan, MD

How Can Pediatricians Use Social Media to Convey High Quality Health Information?

Institution: University of Washington

Mentor: Megan Moreno, MD, MSed, MPH (Seattle Children's Hospital)

National Facilitator: Aaron Carroll, MD, MS (Indiana University School of Medicine/Riley Children's Hospital)

Olivier Drouin, MD

Integrated Electronic Screening to Address Major Pediatric Health Risks

Institution: MassGeneral Hospital for Children

Mentor: Jonathan Winickoff, MD, MPH(MassGeneral Hospital for Children)

National Facilitator: Stephen Downs, MD, MS (Indiana University School of Medicine/Riley Children’s Hospital)

Christopher Mehus, PhD

Parents Perceptions of Pediatrician’s Attention to Behavioral Health Issues: Toward the Implementation of Evidence-Based Parenting Programs Through Primary Care Settings

Institution: University of Minnesota

Mentor: Iris Wagman Borowsky, MD, PhD(University of Minnesota)

National Facilitator: Laurel Leslie, MD, MPH (Tufts Medical Center/Floating Hospital for Children)

Megha Shah, MD, MPH

Impact of a School-Based Health Center Intervention on Reducing Missed Opportunities for Human Papillomavirus Immunization Among Adolescents

Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

Mentor: Peter Szilagyi, MD MPH (Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA)

National Facilitator: Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPH (University of Washington Medical Centers/Seattle Children's Hospital)

Elizabeth Wolf, MD, MPH

Identifying Gaps in Well-Child Care (WCC) Attendance Among Primary Care Clinics Serving Low-Income Families

Institution: Virginia Commonwealth University

Mentor: Alex Krist, MD, MPH (Virginia Commonwealth University)

National Facilitator: Richard “Mort” Wasserman, MD, MPH (University of Vermont/Vermont Children's Hospital)

• The new Web site has been completely redesigned to provide easier access to clinical tools and tip sheets, and includes new resources for families, states and community health programs. The new Web site features a media center to house both audio and video files related to different aspects of Bright Futures. There is strong emphasis on implementation strategies and stories from practices, states, and communities that use Bright Futures. If you have a story to share, please contact us at brightfutures@aap.org. 
• If you are new to the Bright Futures Guidelines, watch this 2-minute About Bright Futures video to get started using the Bright Futures recommendations in your health promotion and disease prevention practices and with programs and families in your community.
  • The About Bright Futures video was selected for presentation during the American Public Health Association's Global Public Health Film Festival​. In addition, this animated video was awarded a Videographer Award of Excellence for Creativity by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals. Out of 1,300 entries, this video was "judged to be deserving of industry-wide recognition." The Award of Excellence is their highest award, given to projects deemed written, produced, shot, and edited in an exceptional manner.
  • Consider using the video in presentations about Bright Futures. Share the link with colleagues in various settings in which Bright Futures is being used (eg, home visiting, child care, school-based health centers, public health settings, etc.).

• The AAP provides coding Webinars, newsletters and fact sheets that outline the various codes for patient visits. View the Bright Futures and Preventive Medicine Coding Fact Sheet.
• In April 2014, a Webinar titled Achieving Bright Futures - A New Resource From the AAP/Bright Futures was held for more than 100 participants. This informative Webinar provides AAP chapters, councils, and pediatricians with valuable information on how to advocate for payment of preventive services recommended by the Bright Futures Guidelines. Learn more at Achieving Bright Futures.

• The Preventive Services Improvement State Spread (PreSIPS2) project has been launched to enhance Bright Futures implementation at family, practice, community, and state levels. This project builds from the lessons learned from the original PreSIP, a successful 9-month modified learning collaborative conducted within AAP's Quality Improvement Innovation Network (QuIIN). PreSIPS2 is a partnership between the AAP National organization and AAP chapters. With AAP National support, 4 outstanding Chapters were selected to take part in this groundbreaking project: Georgia, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Virginia. The 4 Chapters will participate in a 17-month quality improvement (QI) state-based modified learning collaborative to include learning sessions and monthly conference calls.  Each Chapter Leadership Team will assemble a Chapter-State Partnership Team comprised of additional state Maternal and Child Health (MCH) stakeholders. To amplify Bright Futures spread at the practice level, Chapters will enroll 10-15 practices to promote Bright Futures clinical activities and office systems change at the practice level. To further strengthen outreach within each state, the COntinuity Research NETwork (CORNET) will work with their Chapter to identify at least one residency clinic per state to join the project. The AAP national team will assist by offering QI mentoring, state liaison support, and Bright Futures resources. 
• An article by Paula Duncan, Amy Pirretti, Marian Earls, et al. titled, Improving Delivery of Bright Futures Preventive Services at the 9- and 24-Month Well Child Visit was published in the January 2015 edition of Pediatrics. The article answers the key question:  can Bright Futures actually be done in a real life busy practice? The answer is Yes.
• The Bright Futures Education in Quality Improvement in Pediatric Practice (EQIPP) courses are undergoing a revision.  Along with an instructional designer, the subject matter experts are revising the content that will be built into two unique courses based on age: 1) Infancy & Early Childhood, and 2) Middle Childhood & Adolescence.

• On August 24th, 2015, National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation co-hosted a Webinar entitled, Ensuring Bright Futures for Our Nation's Children: Health Plan Strategies for Improving Pediatric Preventive Care. This Webinar was an activity under a grant from the MCHB's Alliance for Innovation on Maternal and Child Health (AIM) initiative to promote Bright Futures for all children. This Webinar explored private and public health plan strategies to improve parental education on preventive care, and supporting and encouraging providers to ensure their patients receive recommended preventive services. 
• AAP’s Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Council on Early Childhood, and Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics published a new clinical report titled, “Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Problems.” This clinical report focuses on the need to increase behavioral screening, offers potential changes in practice and the health system, and reviews the research needed to accomplish these goals.  The report also provides pediatricians a clear road map to execute recommended behavioral and emotional screening in practice.
• A Pediatrics article titled, “Timing of Initial Well-Child Visit and Readmissions of Newborns” supports adherence to the AAP Bright Futures Guidelines for within a few days of discharge from a well-baby nursery. The authors found knowledge of the relationship between early well child visits and hospital readmissions may inform newborn health policy interventions.
• Paving the Road to Good Health: Strategies for Increasing Medicaid Adolescent Well-Care Visits, developed by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services, is a guide that highlights several strategies designed to advance gains in access to and utilization of adolescent preventive health care. The first strategy listed is to “adopt current Bright Futures guidelines for adolescents.” The second strategy recommends Bright Futures related materials as primary resources for clinicians and parents.          

• The Head Start National Center on Health developed a set of 8 parent tip-sheets/cards adapted from Bright Futures Guidelines. These tip-sheets/cards inform parents on what to expect from their caregiver starting at 2 months through 4 years. The tip-sheets also include questions parents can ask their health care provider. They are divided into developmental stages and designed to help families to promote the health and well-being of their children, with information on what to expect in group care, including topics such as social development, safety, eating and physical activity.
• Health Education Materials for Parents and Child Care Providers. These plain language health education resources (including: lead awareness, home safety and injury prevention, and mental health) can be shared with both parents and providers. The content is useful information and basic tips that parents and providers can easily understand.
• The Strategies to Support and Encourage Healthy Active Living course is an online, interactive self-study course for Head Start and Early Head Start staff. It focuses on healthy, active living for children and families. It encourages building skills to effectively communicate and engage with families around creating and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.  
• Books Build Connections Toolkit is a designed to promote healthy parent-child bonding and early learning by ensuring that pediatricians, parents and caregivers have the information, tools and books they need to promote early literacy and brain development. This is a collaborative partnership between the AAP and Too Small to Fail (a joint initiative of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation and Next Generation).
• CDC's "Learn the Signs, Act Early"​ program focuses on early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Main components: health education campaign, Act Early initiative, and research and evaluation. Early intervention allows children and families access the services and support they need as early as possible.

​​​​​​​​​​New Bright Futures Web Site is Launched

• The new Web site has been completely redesigned to provide easier access to clinical tools and tip sheets, and includes new resources for families, states and community health programs. The new Web site features a media center to house both audio and video files related to different aspects of Bright Futures. There is strong emphasis on implementation strategies and stories from practices, states, and communities that use Bright Futures.
• If you are new to the Bright Futures Guidelines, watch this 2-minute video to get started using the Bright Futures recommendations in your health promotion and disease prevention practices and with programs and families in your community.

Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Revision Update

• The Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents are currently under revision that is expected to reflect 20–25% change of content and include recommendations based on new policies and emerging evidence.
• The Guidelines will include a new theme that addresses the impact and intersection between children's biology (genetic predisposition) and determinants of health (social and physical environments) on lifelong health and development.  It also discusses the importance of partnership between health care providers, patients, and families utilizing a strength-based approach and shared decision-making model to improve outcomes.
• A public review of the draft Guidelines is anticipated to take place later this year. As a subscriber to the Bright Futures Newsletter/eNews, a notice of the public review will be sent to you. If you would like a notice sent to your colleagues, please share the Contact Us link with them so that they can become subscribers and receive notices and updates.

New Pediatric Preventive Coding Resources Now Available

• The AAP provides coding Webinars, newsletters and fact sheets that outline the various codes for patient visits. View the Bright Futures and Preventive Medicine Coding Fact Sheet.
• Last April, a Webinar titled Achieving Bright Futures - A New Resource From the AAP/Bright Futures was held for more than 100 participants. This informative Webinar provides AAP chapters, councils, and pediatricians with valuable information on how to advocate for payment of preventive services recommended by the Bright Futures Guidelines.

Bright Futures and Quality Improvement

• A new article by Paula Duncan, Amy Pirretti, Marian Earls, et al. titled, Improving Delivery of Bright Futures Preventive Services at the 9- and 24-Month Well Child Visit was published in the January edition of Pediatrics. The article answers the key question:  can Bright Futures actually be done in a real life busy practice? The answer is Yes.
• Planning is underway to spread Bright Futures implementation efforts for children birth to aged 3.  The project builds from the lessons learned from the Preventive Services Improvement Project (PreSIP), a successful 9-month modified learning collaborative conducted within the AAP Quality Improvement Innovation Network​ (QuIIN). PreSIP tested the birth to 3 Bright Futures preventive services measures with 21 practice teams culminating in nearly 4,000 chart reviews. 
• The Bright Futures Education in Quality Improvement in Pediatric Practice (EQIPP) module is undergoing a revision.  Along with an instructional designer, the subject matter experts are revising the module that will be built into two tracks based on age: 1) Birth to 4 Years, and 2) 5 to 21 Years.

Bright Futures-related Publications

• AAP's Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Council on Early Childhood, and Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics published a new clinical report titled, "Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Problems." This clinical report focuses on the need to increase behavioral screening, offers potential changes in practice and the health system, and reviews the research needed to accomplish these goals.  The report also provides pediatricians a clear road map to execute recommended behavioral and emotional screening in practice.
• A recent Pediatrics article titled, "Timing of Initial Well-Child Visit and Readmissions of Newborns" supports adherence to the AAP Bright Futures Guidelines for within a few days of discharge from a well-baby nursery. The authors found knowledge of the relationship between early well child visits and hospital readmissions may inform newborn health policy interventions.
• Paving the Road to Good Health: Strategies for Increasing Medicaid Adolescent Well-Care Visits, developed by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services, is a guide that highlights several strategies designed to advance gains in access to and utilization of adolescent preventive health care. The first strategy listed is to "adopt current Bright Futures guidelines for adolescents." The second strategy recommends Bright Futures related materials as primary resources for clinicians and parents.

Parent/Caregiver Focused Resources

• The Head Start National Center on Health recently developed a set of 8 parent tip-sheets/cards adapted from Bright Futures Guidelines. These tip-sheets/cards inform parents on what to expect from their caregiver starting at 2 months through 4 years. The tip-sheets also include questions parents can ask their health care provider. They are divided into developmental stages and designed to help families to promote the health and well-being of their children, with information on what to expect in group care, including topics such as social development, safety, eating and physical activity.
• Health Education Materials for Parents and Child Care Providers. These plain language health education resources (including: lead awareness, home safety and injury prevention, and mental health) can be shared with both parents and providers. The content is useful information and basic tips that parents and providers can easily understand.
• The Strategies to Support and Encourage Healthy Active Living course is an online, interactive self-study course for Head Start and Early Head Start staff. It focuses on healthy, active living for children and families. It encourages building skills to effectively communicate and engage with families around creating and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
• Books Build Connections Toolkit is a designed to promote healthy parent-child bonding and early learning by ensuring that pediatricians, parents and caregivers have the information, tools and books they need to promote early literacy and brain development. This is a collaborative partnership between the AAP and Too Small to Fail (a joint initiative of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation and Next Generation).
  
  

​​2015 Bright Futures Young Investigator Awardees

• The Academic Pediatric Association (APA), in partnership with the AAP, has funded many small awards since 2009 through the Bright Futures Young Investigator Award (YIA) Program, with support from HRSA’s MCHB. Six awardees were funded in February 2015 during the most recent funding cycle. These projects aim at enhancing the effectiveness and evidence base for health supervision in primary care, consistent with Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition.

2015 YIA Recipients:

​​​Caitlin Canfield, PhD
Understanding Intergenerational Transmission of Toxic Stress and its Role in Childrens Mental Health Outcomes
New York University School of Medicine

​​Keely Dwyer-Matzky, MD
Adolescent to Adult-Oriented Health Care Transition Survey: Study of a Video-Based Educational Intervention
University of Rochester

​​Stacy Ellen, DO
Text Message-based Parenting Advice Focus Groups and Pilot Study
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children

​​Dawn Magnusson, MPT, PhD
Anticipatory guidance for parents of children screening positive for developmental delay: exploring the role of parent beliefs in early intervention utilization​
Johns Hopkins University​​

​​Deepak Palakshappa, MD
Addressing Household Food Insecurity in Suburban Pediatric Primary Care Practices
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Elizabeth Peacock-Chambers, MD
Parental self-efficacy and perceived control regarding child development: Implications for anticipatory guidance
Boston Medical Center

• Deepa Sekhar, MD, recently published "Pilot Study of a High-frequency School-based Hearing Screen to Detect Adolescent Hearing Loss" (Sekhar DL, Zalewski TR, Ghossaini SN, King TS, Rhoades JA, Czarnecki B, Grounds S, Deese B, Barr AL, Paul IM) in the Journal of Medical Screening.
• William Heerman, MD, received a 2013 APA Trainee Research Award based on his Bright Futures YIA project titled The Interaction between Maternal Pre-Pregnancy BMI and Excess Gestational Weight Gain Shapes Infant Growth.

​For more information about the YIA program, visit http://www.academicpeds.org/research/research_YIA_MCHB.cfm​

​​​​​​​Updated AAP/Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule Available

• The members of the AAP Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine and editors of the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents have completed an update of the Periodicity Schedule to reflect new evidence since the 2008 update. The updated Periodicity Schedule was published in the March 2014 issue of Pediatrics.
• A downloadable PDF of the Periodicity Schedule is available along with a summary and explanation of changes. Visit www.aap.org/periodicityschedule for more information. 

Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents—Revision Update

• Four multidisciplinary Bright Futures expert panels are engaged in revising Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents. The revision is expected to reflect 20–25% change of content and include recommendations based on new policies and emerging evidence.
• A public review of the draft Guidelines is anticipated to take place later this year. A notice of availability of the Guidelines for public review will be sent to you as a subscriber to the Bright Futures Newsletter/eNews. If you would like a notice sent to your colleagues, please share the following link with them so that they can become subscribers and receive notices and updates: http://bf.aap.org/Pages/contactus.aspx.  
  

​New Pediatric Preventive Coding Resources Now Available

• The AAP recently released new resources for insurers, regulators, lawmakers, and other stakeholders implementing the ACA provision of preventive services. Achieving Bright Futures: Implementation of the ACA Pediatric Preventive Services Provision presents a complete set of coding visit documents and provides links to the Bright Futures recommendations for each visit with the Current Procedural Terminology codes used to appropriately bill for those recommended services.
• These resources were developed through a joint initiative with the BFNC, the AAP Division of Pediatric Practice, and the AAP Division of State Government Affairs

View Achieving Bright Futures Webinar 

• On April 9, 2014, a Webinar titled Achieving Bright Futures—A New Resource From the AAP/Bright Futures was held for more than 100 participants. This informative Webinar highlights the new resource and provides AAP chapters, councils, and pediatricians with valuable information on how to advocate for payment of preventive services recommended by the Bright Futures Guidelines.

Bright Futures Family Pocket Guide in English and Spanish—Now available!

• ​The Bright Futures Family Pocket Guide, developed by Family Voices with input from the Bright Futures National Center, has been translated into Spanish and is now available.

New Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment Guide Available From CMS

• In June 2014, CMS published EPSDT—A Guide for States: Coverage in the Medicaid Benefit for Children and Adolescents, which references Bright Futures recommendations throughout. The Guide is intended to help states, health care providers, and others understand the scope of services that are covered under EPSDT so that they may realize EPSDT’s goals and provide the best possible child and adolescent health benefit through their Medicaid programs.
  

2014 Bright Futures Young Investigator Awardees

• APA, in partnership with the AAP, has funded 32 small awards since 2009 through the Bright Futures Young Investigator Award (YIA) Program, with support from HRSA’s MCHB. Six awardees were funded in February 2014 during the most recent funding cycle. These projects aim at enhancing the effectiveness and evidence base for health supervision in primary care, consistent with Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition.

2014 YIA Recipients:

​​​Amy Beck, MD, MPH
Evaluation of a Primary Care-Based Intervention to Reduce Consumption of Sugar-sweetened Beverages and 100% Fruit Juice Among Latino Children
University of California San Francisco

​​Lisa DeCamp, MD, MSPH
Health and Healthcare Activation among Latino Parents of Young Children
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

​​Kathryn King, MD
Anticipatory Guidance for Healthy Schools: Exploring How School Wellness Climate Affects Fitness, Academics and Behavior
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

​​Jenny Radesky, MD
Parent views about mobile device use around and by young children: A Qualitative Analysis of Styles of Use, Perceived Risks and Benefits, and Parent-Child Interaction
Boston Medical Center

​​Krishna Upadhya, MD, MPH
Enhancing Reproductive Health in Adolescent Preventive Visits Using a Preconception Health Framework
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

​​Ashley Weedn, MD, MPH
Cultural Assessment of Obesity in American Indian Preschool Children: A Qualitative Study of Parents and Caregivers
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

Recent publications and awards by former Bright Futures Young Investigator Awardees include the following:

• Deepa Sekhar, MD, recently published "Pilot Study of a High-frequency School-based Hearing Screen to Detect Adolescent Hearing Loss" (Sekhar DL, Zalewski TR, Ghossaini SN, King TS, Rhoades JA, Czarnecki B, Grounds S, Deese B, Barr AL, Paul IM) in the Journal of Medical Screening.
• William Heerman, MD, received a 2013 APA Trainee Research Award based on his Bright Futures YIA project titled The Interaction between Maternal Pre-Pregnancy BMI and Excess Gestational Weight Gain Shapes Infant Growth.

​For more information about the YIA program, visit http://www.academicpeds.org/research/research_YIA_MCHB.cfm​