Deadline Coming Up: Public Charge Comments Needed!
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The deadline to submit comments to oppose the proposed changes to the public charge regulations is coming up on
December 10th. If you have not already submitted comments, we urge you to do so before the deadline! Comments must be unique so please edit the template language:
https://p2a.co/1z0lKnC.
Our goal was to submit 200 unique comments and we have surpassed that goal already with nearly 300 comments submitted! For background info on public charge, see this
Developments article.
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Your Help Needed: Testify in Olympia!
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One of the most powerful things we can do as advocates for kids is testify in Olympia. Dr. Ruth Conn tells about her experience testifying in this previous Developments article, and says " I would encourage all to find time to do this important work and feel the satisfaction of knowing you advocated for the health and well-being of all children in Washington." While Dr. Conn testified several times, even just one time is tremendously helpful!
If you have a few hours open in your schedule during the legislative session, are able to travel to Olympia and are interested in being notified about opportunities to testify, please let Jennifer Donahue know. You can reach her at
[email protected]
or 206-713-1087. WCAAP staff will help you prepare your testimony and walk you through the process.
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Advocacy Update: Medicaid Rate
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Help WCAAP better advocate for increased Medicaid rates
Thanks to your advocacy, in the 2018 legislative session, the legislature directed the Health Care Authority to increase Medicaid rates for pediatric primary and specialty care. Included E&M codes have been increased by 9.5% and vaccine administration has been increased to 77% of Medicare rates,
effective October 1, 2018. Here you will find detailed information about the new rates for pediatric primary and specialty care: Enhanced Pediatric Rates.
It is critically important that providers monitor reimbursement from Medicaid Managed Care Organizations and work with plans as necessary to ensure you received these increases October 1. No attestation is necessary for this rate increase.
WCAAP will continue to fight to bring Medicaid rates to full parity with Medicare. You can help! Patient stories are the heart of our advocacy and crucial to our success. If you know of families who have had trouble accessing care and are willing to share their stories, please let Jennifer Donahue know. You can reach her at [email protected] or 206-713-1087.
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Teen Vaping Prevalence and Perception
Leah Allman, Abisayo Ariwoola, Brittanie Bliss, Kelsey Brewer, Ben Ho, Stephen Landry
University of Washington
Master of Health Administration Program - Team Skokomish
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Editor's note: Raising the age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products is one of WCAAP's main priorities for the 2019 legislative session. You can help by responding to action alerts we send out during the session, writing a letter to the editor, or testifying on bills in Olympia! If you have a special interest in this issue, let us know. Also, be sure to register for our February 15th Advocacy Day!
Through the University of Washington MHA policy professor, Jeff Sconyers, WCAAP has an annual partnership with student groups who undertake policy projects with the Chapter. This year students examined vaping prevalence and perceptions amongst adolescents to improve our ability to educate legislators. Past MHA projects have included adolescent confidentiality and Medicaid access to care.
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NICU QI Initiative: Home Nasogastric Tube Feedings
Lisa McGill-Vargas, MD and Ron Ilg, MD
Sacred Heart Children's Hospital
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Sacred Heart QI initiative helps families with home NG feeds
One of the most difficult hurdles for premature infants or infants born with complex medical conditions is developing the ability to safely nipple feed. Recent focus on early family-centered care, developmental interventions, and feeding protocols has been helping high-risk babies achieve the skill at an earlier time.1,2
Nevertheless, many infants face the possibility of a temporary gastrostomy tube or an extended hospital stay as they transition from nasogastric feeds to independent feeding.
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A Potential New Treatment to Decrease Peanut Allergy
Kevin Dooms, MD, FAAAI
Swedish Allergy/Immunology
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Proposed oral immunotherapy treatment may offer hope
A new study published in the
New England Journal of Medicine suggests a potential treatment for children 4-17 years old who are highly allergic to peanut.
Study results were announced November 18, 2018, at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle.
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Firearm Storage Practices Examined
Tony Gomez, R.S.
Manager, Violence & Injury Prevention (VIP)
Chronic Disease and VIP Section
Public Health-Seattle & King County
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Study uses WA State BRFSS data to assess risks
A recent study by UW Medicine's Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and the University of Washington's School of Public Health examined the prevalence of children living in homes with firearms that have not been safely stored. The study, which was the first of its kind to investigate this association at a statewide level, was published November 19 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Register for Advocacy Day!
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Speak up for kids - and get an "Advo-Coat"
We're excited to announce a few of our confirmed speakers for Advocacy Day on February 15th in Olympia: AAP President Dr. Kyle Yasuda, Immigrant Health champion Dr. Beth Dawson-Hahn, and Seattle Children's division chief of child and adolescent psychiatry Dr. Larry Wissow. We'll also be hearing from legislators who are key partners on issues pertaining to child health, networking, and learning about how to advocate for all of Washington's kids. We hope you'll join us!
Whether you're able to attend Advocacy Day or not, you can support our work by making a donation! If you donate $100 or more, we'll thank you with an Advo-Coat - a lab coat embroidered with our WCAAP logo, to identify you as an advocate for kids!
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Parent Perspectives: Visiting Primary Care & the ED with Urgent Concerns
Kate Orville, MPH
Noel Rees, MPA
University of Washington
Medical Home Leadership Network
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Parents ask for more information
Why do some families bring their children to the Emergency Department (ED) when their primary care office is open or available by phone? Reducing potentially avoidable ED visits is a focus for the
Pediatric Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative
(P-TCPi) in order to not only save costs but ensure children are being cared for in a timely manner by medical home clinicians who know them and their health history.
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Be aware of SIRVA:
A new avoidable complication of vaccine administration is Shoulder Injuries Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA).
Cause inflammation of subacromial and subdeltoid bursa and associated muscles, tendons and is associated with pain limited ROM.
See CDC infographic
for more info.
Note CDC advice: For injection into deltoid area both vaccines and vaccinator should be seated.
WCAAP Webinars: Don't forget to take a look at our Webinars page for free CME e-learning on topics like behavioral health, developmental and autism screening, and adolescent and maternal depression screening.
"Building Resilience Across the Lifespan"
June 26 & 27, 2019 - Pasco
Pre-Conference Training and Social/Networking event and film screenings beginning on Tuesday June 25.
Early bird conference ticket price offered until March 15, 2019
The Department of Health has a new way to view immunization coverage rates for Washington residents age 19 months through 17 years. On the
Tableau immunization data dashboards
, you can explore tables, graphs, and maps by county, age group, vaccine type, and year. Currently, the dashboard contains coverage rate data for 2015 through 2017 and will be updated yearly.
Safer Homes Task Force Symposium - December 12, 9:30am-12:00pm
University of Washington Police Department - Seattle
This symposium will focus on firearm injury prevention and what we can do to encourage families to keep their homes safe, particularly when there are children or adults with concerns for self-harm or harming others. Topics will include Extreme Risk Protection Orders, the Seattle Children's Hospital firearms safety program, and the latest Safer Homes-collected data and related findings.
Register online.
Can't make it but still want to listen in? You may dial in via Forefront's Conference line: 206-616-2663, code 377991.
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Coming Up: WCAAP Committee Meetings
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Join us! Committees are a great way to meet other members and get involved with Chapter work! Watch this space for upcoming meeting dates and times for Chapter committees and interest groups. Most committees meet by phone for one hour.
Health Care Transformation Committee
December 18 - 8:00-9:00am
Meets monthly by telephone
Legislative Affairs Committee
January 8, 7:00-8:00am
Meets weekly by phone during the legislative session & special session
Meets monthly by phone during the interim
Early Learning Committee
Meets periodically by telephone and annually in person
Sustainability & Engagement Committee
January 22 - 12:00-1:00pm
Meets monthly by telephone
Vaccine Committee
Meets 2x/year
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What's Happening?
We bring education and networking events to providers all over Washington. Find all of our latest upcoming events plus offerings from our partners around the state on our website's
Events
page!
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| Thank you to our sponsors:
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