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Our New Mission, Vision, Values, and Tagline
Elizabeth Meade, MD, FAAP
President, WCAAP
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As each of us is acutely aware, 2020 has been a year that has challenged and disrupted every facet of our lives. It has been filled with uncertainty, division, and worry. It has also led to a collective re-examining of our actions and intentions - both as individuals and as the groups and communities we are each part of. I am hopeful that challenge can lead to change, and that innovation can come from struggle. I do know that our Washington chapter is strong and that we continue our daily work to advocate for and serve all the children, adolescents, and families of Washington state with more passion and drive than ever.
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Advocacy Update: WCAAP Is Covering the State
Jennifer Donahue
Communications Manager, WCAAP
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Since June, WCAAP members have held Zoom meetings with 33 legislators from all corners of Washington, laying the groundwork for success in the 2021 legislative session. We initially feared COVID-related cuts to health and human services and wanted to encourage lawmakers to protect children and families as budget cuts were considered. Luckily, state revenue was not as heavily impacted as anticipated, so no cuts were made, but these meetings proved to be an opportune time to share with legislators what our patients and families were experiencing as a result of the pandemic. Legislators have been grateful for a look "behind the curtain" and continue to be very receptive to meeting with WCAAP members.
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Kids' Rising Behavioral Health Needs During the Pandemic
Sarah Rafton, MSW
Executive Director, WCAAP
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In my five years at WCAAP, I have heard from members in every corner of the state that kids' access to timely behavioral health care is one of the most pressing and urgent child health needs you witness. Over the past several years, we have consistently learned - directly from community pediatric providers, ED providers, hospitalists and critical care doctors, from our member surveys, and from our "secret shopper" evaluation of access - that kids are waiting far too long to get the help they need.
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COVID-19 Community Pediatrics Meetings: November 10 and 17
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On November 10th Testing Updates: we'll be joined by Dr. Marc Del Beccaro, COVID Testing Strategy Lead for Public Health - Seattle & King County, to discuss COVID testing as we head toward the holidays.
On November 17 Kids' Behavioral Health During the Pandemic: Tona McGuire, PhD, a clinical psychologist specializing in Pediatric Psychology, who serves as a Lead for the Behavioral Health Strike Team for the Washington State Dept of Health, will discuss the current state of children and teens' behavioral health.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Update from the WA State DOH: Health Officials Need to Hear from You!
Danielle Koenig
Health Promotion Supervisor
Washington State Department of Health
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The Department of Health turned in its interim COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan to the CDC on October 16. The plan describes how the department will approach the work of planning for and distributing an FDA-approved, ACIP recommended COVID-19 vaccine once available. Health officials would like to hear from you! View the plan here and submit your thoughts. This plan will evolve over time as we get feedback from key partners, the community, and further guidance from the federal government.
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WSMA Economic Survey: How Has COVID-19 Affected Your Practice?
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With the current resurgence in cases and the 2021 Washington state legislative session on the horizon (January 2021), WSMA needs to hear from you regarding the financial impact COVID-19 is having on your practice's finances and patient care. Their survey also includes several questions on access to PPE and testing.
Please take a moment to complete the brief survey by Wednesday, November 11:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WB927QB
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Changes Coming to Office-Based E/M Codes
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Knock Out Flu Toolkits Available
Barry Iverson
Health Promotions and Education
Washington State Department of Health
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There are new resources now available in the Knock Out Flu: Think of It as Essential partner toolkits. These resources are available in English and Spanish, and include:
- Newsletter or drop-in article for the uninsured/underinsured adult audience
- Updated social media sample posts
- Ad Council, Get My Flu Shot campaign
- National Minority Quality Forum and Center for Sustainable Health Care, A Call for Community-Driven Equity in Flu Vaccination communications toolkit (English only)
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WA-CHIP Demonstrates Improvement in Missed Vaccine Opportunities
Ariana Salaiz
Program Manager, WCAAP
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WCAAP's WA-CHIP (Washington Child Health Improvement Partnership) Adolescent Vaccination Learning Collaborative has seen great efforts put forth by our nine clinics from Spokane and King Counties participating in the second cohort. Between July and mid-October, each clinic reviewed charts to document missed vaccination opportunities for children ages 11 - 12. Through the chart reviews, we recognized a decrease in missed vaccination opportunities from baseline to the first month post-intervention at all nine clinics.
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Vroom Turns Everyday Moments into Brain-Building Opportunities
Ariana Salaiz
Program Manager, WCAAP
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The constant challenge of balancing work and all of life's responsibilities can often leave parents wondering if they are doing enough to equip their child for success. Vroom is a simple, online resource that shows parents easy ways to spark brain-building moments during routine, everyday moments that parents share with their kids.
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WIC Helps Families in Many Ways
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Washington WIC gives families access to nutritious food and provides health screening, risk assessment, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social services. The program provides essential services for pregnant people, new and breastfeeding moms, infants, and children under five. Most pregnant people and young children on Medicaid or Basic Food (SNAP) qualify for WIC services.
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Pediatricians for Climate Action
Alexandra Perkins, MD, MPH
Pragya Rai, MD
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You can't have healthy kids on a sick planet. There is overwhelming scientific consensus that human activity is causing the planet to warm dangerously fast, creating myriad downstream events. Forest fires and unbreathable smog in the summer months have become a routine phenomenon in Washington. With prolonged rainfalls in some areas and droughts in others, food insecurity is growing for many of the world's children. Climate change is a risk multiplier, and thus the largest public health crisis of the 21st century. Its impacts will be felt most acutely by our pediatric patients.
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Changemaker: Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH, FAAP
Beth Ebel, MD, MPH, MSc, FAAP
Co-chair, WCAAP Legislative Committee
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Dr. Fred Rivara, MD, MPH, FAAP, was honored as one of the top " 50 Changemakers of Public Health" by the University of Washington School of Public Health this year. His impact on preventing injury and violence has been far reaching, and includes impactful studies on preventing firearm injury and suicide, and building the scientific background for why helmet use is so important for bicycle riders. Last year, Dr. Rivara launched a new research center (the Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program/HIPRC) to understand and prevent gun violence.
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Happy Birthday Cynthia Shurtleff!
Edgar K. Marcuse, MD, MPH, FAAP
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All of us who have worked with and for Cynthia Shurtleff recognized her to be a force of nature: "she-who-must -be-obeyed"! And we all did - including that curmudgeon she married. And children throughout Washington benefited.
For those who have not worked with her, know that Cynthia was WCAAP's presence in Olympia for many, many years, as a volunteer, logging countless miles on I-5 to advance WCAAP's legislative agenda. But that was only part of her advocacy work.
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Equity and Anti-Racism Resources
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This month's resource comes from WCAAP Early Childhood Committee Co-Chair Diane Liebe, who recommends three thought-provoking books that she has found valuable:
"In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation's history and current crisis."
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Congratulations New Fellows!
Jonathan Higgins, MD, FAAP
Joshua Hilliard, MD, FAAP
Bonnie Jordan, MD, FAAP
Lucia Kwong, MD, FAAP
Jonathan Lee, MD, FAAP
Kimberly Liekweg, MD, FAAP
Hema Magge, MD, FAAP
Carl McMullen, DO, FAAP - Anesthesiology Specialty Fellow
Amanda Monnahan, MD, FAAP
Chloe Nguyen, DO, FAAP
Kathryn Sun, MD, FAAP
Nithya Vasudevan, MD, FAAP
Write for us! WCAAP's Developments welcomes member submissions and suggestions. If you have a topic you are passionate about, expertise to share, or a community organization you think others might like to know about, contact us to submit your article or idea!
WCAAP Webinars: View archived WCAAP webinars, on topics like motivational interviewing, brief parent management training, autism screening, and adolescent and maternal depression screening here: https://wcaap.org/webinars.
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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 or Zoom for one hour.
Health Care Transformation Committee
Meets quarterly by telephone/Zoom
Legislative Affairs Committee
December 1, 7:00-8:00am
Meets weekly by Zoom during the legislative session & special session
Meets monthly by Zoom during the interim + ad hoc as needed
Early Childhood Committee
December 14, 7:00-8:00pm
Meets periodically by phone/Zoom, 2x/year in person
Membership Engagement Committee
Meets quarterly by phone/Zoom
Vaccine Committee
November 20, 7:00-8:00am
Meets periodically by telephone
Contact John Dunn to learn more about the committee.
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What's Happening?
Don't miss these upcoming virtual events:
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