That being said, there has been a slight uptick in hospitalizations, and COVID-19 has been in the news this week. Citing the need to reduce school absences and support child mental health, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent Alberto Carvalho recently stated that children should return to school when “mildly sick – no fever, just maybe the sniffles.”

 

In a public message to LAUSD parents, Chief Medical Director Dr. Smita Malhotra confirmed this policy and further specified: “If your child has a mild runny nose or cold symptoms that are not bothering them, and they test negative for COVID-19, send them to school. Your child can wear a mask at school when they have these mild symptoms.”

 

As we head into fall, there will likely be questions about the role of testing and masking in this more permissive COVID-19 policy, not to mention the variations across the many school districts and private schools in southern California. The Chapter 2 School Health Committee remains a useful resource to help answer questions coming from parents and educators as we return to pre-pandemic norms.

 

Last winter, as COVID-19 was receding, our youngest patients faced a particularly difficult RSV season. Fortunately, pediatricians will have a new tool to help protect infants this winter. The American Academy of Pediatrics just released recommendations for the use of nirsevimab, a new monoclonal antibody to prevent RSV infection. The AAP is recommending nirsevimab for all infants under 8 months born during or entering their first RSV season. As nirsevimab rolls out, please let the chapter know about your experiences obtaining it for your patients.

 

Finally, I attended the AAP Annual Leadership Conference earlier this month together with Drs. Ruiz, Goldstein, Torices, and other chapter leaders. At the conference, we met with our colleagues from across California (District IX) to share ideas for new initiatives to benefit children, families, and the pediatricians who care for them. We also voted on resolutions which are submitted by AAP members and serve to guide the national AAP board on advocacy priorities for the coming year. I would like to recognize and thank former Chapter 2 president Dr Paula Whiteman for submitting two of the resolutions that were voted on by conference attendees as the top 10 resolutions for the year. As you can see in the article below, the resolutions cover a wide variety of issues including protecting transgender children and their pediatricians, promoting gun safety, and supporting pediatric payments, telehealth, and medical education.

 

This month’s member spotlight features Dr. Christina Casas of Daisy Pediatrics. I would also like to welcome our new chapter members and encourage them to get involved by joining a chapter committee. Information about our committees and other resources are available on our website, aapca2.org. Your support makes the work of this chapter possible!

The AAP Annual Leadership Conference took place at the academy's headquarters in Itasca, IL this past August 3-6, attended by the president, vice president and executive director of every chapter, plus chairs of committees, councils and sections. Academy leaders reviewed, deliberated and voted on nearly 200 proposed resolutions. The AAP announced the results on August 8th with the list of the Top 10 Resolutions. We thank our leadership for representing California Chapter 2: Chapter president Grant Christman, MD, FAAP; Chapter vice president Melissa Ruiz, MD, FAAP; Section Forum Management Multidisciplinary Action Group Chair Mitchell Goldstein, MD, FAAP; Chair Elect for the Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health Sural Shah, MD, FAAP; Incoming Chair for the Section of Rheumatology Karen Marzan, MD, FAAP; Executive director Tomás Torices, MD; and SOPT Executive Coordinator of Medical Student Initiatives representative Hanh Do (4th year medical student at Western University of Health Sciences, in Pomona).

(Image above, top row) District IX representatives at the AAP Headquarters patio. AAP President Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP with District IX medical school representative Hanh Do. (Bottom row) AAP-CA2 President Grant Christman, MD, FAAP with AAP-CA2 Vice President Melissa Ruiz, MD, FAAP during a voting session. AAP-CA2 Treasurer Mitchell Goldstein, MD, FAAP in the capacity of Chair for the Section Forum Management Multidisciplinary Action Group, introducing a guest speaker. Executive Directors Karmi Ferguson, MBA (AAPCA), Tomás Torices, MD (CA2), and Yolanda Ruiz, BSPH (CA-1).

Resolutions provide input to the Board of Directors on the direction of policies and activities. Full text of the resolutions and voting results can be viewed here. (AAP login required)

Congratulations to AAP-CA2 past president (2014-16) and former District IX Vice Chair Paula Whiteman, MD, FAAP, FACEP for being the author of the number 1 and number 8 resolutions this year! California (District IX) contributed to 3 of the top ten resolutions, including number 6 submitted by California Chapter 1.

Starting January 2024 there will be an increase in Medi-Cal payments to 87.5% of Medicare rates for primary care outpatient services in CA. The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has made public a list of codes chosen by the state for this targeted payment increase.

Please access the DCHS website to learn more, and be sure to review the Medi-Cal Targeted Rate Increase Codes List to verify the codes used in your practice are included.

Please contact the chapter if there are any missing codes for the services that you are providing. Our Chapter and District IX Government Affairs Committees will need to advocate immediately if any pediatric practice codes are left out.

In this capacity, Dr. Chiu will work with AAP National and ambassadors across the nation to build knowledge and self-efficacy on best practices related to community suicide prevention strategies in order to improve healthy mental development for children and youth. Dr. Chiu also serves on the AAP-CA2 Board of Directors as Member-At-Large

Welcome Dr. Chiu!

AAP-CA2, in collaboration with Anti-Vaping Champions at UCLA, is recruiting practices interested in participating in a Quality Improvement project. The focus is to incorporate vaping screening, counseling, and treatment referrals during visits for pediatric patients.

Receive 25 points of ABP MOC Part 4 credit for your participation, $400 at the end of the 4th cycle, plus up to $300 for participating in the Clinic Learning Collaborative meetings every other month ($50 Amazon card per meeting attendance x 6).

Please contact ucla.avc@mednet.ucla.edu or complete this Interest Form.

In February 2020, Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) piloted a new workflow to screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in pediatric primary care. After implementation, only half children referred to behavioral health had completed the referral within 90 days. This qualitative study looked into what parts of the process were making it difficult to complete these referrals. Read more...

The AAP Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Program is seeking applications for the position of District Resident CATCH Liaison (DRL) in Districts I, VIII, IX and X. The suggested term for this position is 2 years starting in October 2023. CATCH’s mission is to support pediatricians to collaborate within their communities to advance the health of all children. Our vision is that every child in every community reach optimal health and well-being. Learn more about the responsibilities and activities of the position. The deadline to apply online is August 31, 2023. Note: At the end of the online application, you must upload a current copy of your CV and a letter of support in PDF format to submit a completed application. Questions about the position and how to apply can be directed to Maggie Kelly. 

The Section on Early Career Physicians (SOECP) Health Equity Grant Program was established to support early career physicians, especially those who are underrepresented in medicine, as they conduct research, interventions, and education that address antiracism and health equity in communities and institutions. Individual projects are receiving up to $3,300 in funding. View the 2023 grant recipients, and more in This Report

Please complete THIS FORM to be considered for a future Member Spotlight in the AAP-CA2 Newsletter!

By Delesa Barnes

Reach Out and Read Inland Empire Program Coordinator

As summer winds down and children are geared up for the upcoming school year, we are thrilled to share exciting news that will undoubtedly continue to fuel our commitment to nurturing young minds and promoting early literacy. It is with great pleasure that we announce... Read more.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month 

Vaccinating babies and young children protects them from 14 potentially serious diseases before their second birthday. Support National Immunization Awareness Month by ensuring infants and children are caught up on immunizations: 

A Powerful New Tool to Prevent Severe RSV in All Infants is Now Approved and Recommended 

Nirsevimab, trade name Beyfortus^TM, is a long-acting monoclonal antibody product, which has 

been shown to reduce the risk of both hospitalizations and healthcare visits for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It provides critical protection during a baby’s first RSV season, when they’re most at risk for severe illness. Nirsevimab was approved last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and earlier this month the CDC recommended one dose of nirsevimab for ALL infants younger than 8 months, born during – or entering – their first RSV season. Additionally, children 8-19months of age who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season should receive one dose of nirsevimab as well. It can be co-administered with other vaccines, and every dose administered should be entered into the California Immunization Registry. CDC is currently working to make nirsevimab available through the Vaccines for Children program for the fall. Additional clinical guidance and healthcare provider education material will be provided in the coming months.  

View our summer programming map

Gasol Foundation (founded by NBA All Stars and Champions Pau and Marc Gasol) is a nonprofit that works through evidence-based programming, evaluation and research, and advocacy to promote children’s wellness, with a focus on eliminating childhood obesity. Every Gasol Foundation program incorporates physical activity, diet, sleep, and emotional well-being to improve the health of our children and their overall development.

All Gasol Foundation programming is designed by a PhD child psychologist, embedded with evidence-based practices, FREE to participants, and taught by college graduates to manage the curriculum.

Gasol Foundation's evidence-based programs (6-12 year olds) are: Galactic Sports, sports skills training with lessons about healthy habits; CommUnity, healthy habits curriculum with classes for parents and children; and Energy, summer day camp instruction in the healthy habits. This fall, we will start offering HAPPI, an early childhood (0-3 year olds) wellness program.

We are currently in 20 program locations in LA and Orange Counties, and we will bring our programming to San Bernardino County this fall. In fact, we expect to be in the four LA/Southern California counties (the three above plus Riverside) by 2024. Feel free to refer children (and their families) to any nearby programs. www.GasolFoundation.org Email: info@GasolFoundation.org

The Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital seeks a faculty member to join the Department of Pediatrics Health Science Series in the Division of General Pediatrics. Academic rank will be commensurate with experience. Duties include patient care, teaching of fellows and residents, and participation in research or other scholarly endeavors that will lead to academic promotion. Read more...

LA County Health Services is seeking 5 pediatricians/nurse practitioners for its Antelope Valley clinics, for full- or part-time work. Pay is competitive. Hours are flexible. There is no weekend or overnight call. We are an evidence-based practice, with stellar clinicians that work with multidisciplinary teams. We have on site radiology, and multiple sub-specialties. Contact Amy Shekarchi for inquiries/interest: ashekarchi2@dhs.lacounty.gov

New Registry Requirement to Submit Immunization and TB Data 

AB 1797, a new California bill effective January 1, 2023, requires providers to enter immunizations and TB tests they administer, as well as a patient’s race and ethnicity, into a California immunization registry (CAIR OR RIDE/Healthy Futures).

Many of your questions can be answered by visiting the AB 1797 Immunization Registry FAQs page.

Not Yet Enrolled? Enroll Now!

Joining CAIR helps providers meet requirements for AB 1797, Medi-Cal, and the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. There are many other benefits to participating in an immunization registry: save time, improve patient care, boost immunization rates, and quickly run vaccine reports to access data for reporting.

Refer to the How to Enroll in CAIR2 page for guidance on the CAIR2 setup that works best for your practice and contact your Local CAIR Representative with any questions.

The AAP is recruiting pediatricians to be part of the AAP Infection Prevention and Control Spokesperson ECHO. ECHO serves as a forum for AAP members to improve knowledge, skills, and confidence around media interviewing, talking to communities, and engaging on social media, as it relates to pediatric-focused content, specifically, infection prevention and control.

This ECHO will meet on Mondays from 8 - 9 AM Pacific Time on the following dates: August 28, September 11, October 2, October 16, October 30, November 13. Questions can be directed to Katzenbach, ECHO Manager at akatzenbach@aap.org.  

Email AFregoso@mednet.ucla.edu for more information on this event!

Thursday, September 7, 2023 6:30-7:30 PM PDT

View the Flier

PERMANENTE MEDICINE

The Westin Anaheim Resort

Anaheim, CA

Registration is Open

Click to Register

View/Print the Flier

Join Dr. Anjan Batra, a UC Irvine Health pediatric cardiologist who specializes in electrophysiology, arrhythmia management and device implantation.

Topic: Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes: Epidemiology, Prevention and Sports Clearance.

Dr. Batra’s research and scientific findings are reflected in more than 60 publications in prestigious national journals and text books. He is an internationally recognized lecturer who is known for his work on the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in children and adolescents. He sees patients at the UC Irvine Health Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Clinic, as well as at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach and CHOC Hospital in Orange.

Join Us For The AAP-CA2 Social In San Luis Obispo

Please join AAP-CA2 Area Representative René Bravo, MD, FAAP for an afternoon of networking and fun on the rooftop bar of Hotel San Luis Obispo. Pediatricians, pediatric sub specialists and allied health professionals are welcome to attend. Members of other AAP California Chapters, join us as well!

Fridays at 8 AM

Contact Help Me Grow LA leadership via email: HelpMeGrowLA@ph.lacounty.gov. We look forward to working with you!

Signing up your entire practice (clinical and non-clinical staff) qualifies for a 20% discount on Chapter membership dues. Contact us for details.

The Immigrant Youth Task Force (IYTF) at UCLA and the American Academy of Pediatrics California Chapter 2 (AAP-CA2) invite you to visit The Los Angeles County Immigrant Youth Resource Toolkit, a website consolidating community resources in the greater LA area for immigrant youth and families. Our goal is to help professionals from all disciplines address the needs of their immigrant youth patients/clients with regards to health care, legal services, education, social services, and more. As our toolkit continues to evolve, we encourage you to explore and use it in your practice going forward.

Chapter committees are great opportunities to get involved in areas that interest you the most. Furthermore, if you are a Fellow member (FAAP), local involvement could position you for leadership opportunities at National AAP. To learn more about our various Committees and Sections, and to sign up, please visit aapca2.org/committees.

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