Fortunately his house survived but a number of my childhood friends were not so lucky. We all understand too well how these events can have profound and long-lasting consequences on children's mental health and on how a family functions. As pediatricians, we have a crucial role to play in supporting the physical and emotional well-being of children and families affected by this disaster.

It is equally important to remember to care for ourselves during this difficult time. Many of us may have been personally impacted by the fires, whether through the loss of property, the displacement of friends and colleagues, or the emotional toll of witnessing the suffering of our community. I know that I have to stop and remind myself to prioritize my own mental and physical health so here’s my reminder to all of you to do so as well - so that we can continue to provide the best possible care for the children of California. A number of resources are provided below.

The AAP California Chapter 2 symposium will be on Friday May 30th! We are accepting abstracts on scholarly projects by pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents and medical students enrolled in the 7 counties we span. See below for details. Submission due March 14th.

In addition, if you are interested in engaging in a national AAP committee or council in a leadership capacity, please see Lead@AAP (AAP Login Required) for the board vacancies as applications are due February 2025. There are 17 committees with vacancies and the Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health is looking to fill two board positions.

In the Trainees’ Corner, we have a Section On Pediatric Trainees health equity grant opportunity to receive up to $3,000 for research, programs, or education addressing health disparities and inequities with a deadline of January 30, 2025.

And please take a look at our Mental Health Corner. I had the pleasure of hearing a presentation by the three psychiatrists leading Cal-MAP and it is truly an awesome resource. Cal-MAP’s team of mental health specialists supports primary care providers (PCPs) treating youth with mental health needs through education, consultation, and resource navigation. 

In terms of Upcoming Events, we continue to work on developing our in-person mental health conference! Please Save-The-Date for March 11, 2025 from 3 to 7 PM for this event to be held at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Details covered below. In addition, we have social events in Culver City on Monday January 27th and in Santa Barbara on Tuesday January 28th. Hope to see many of you there!

I would like to welcome our new chapter members and encourage them to get involved by joining a chapter committee or reaching out to Tomas or myself to find where your passion - your voice - might best fit in Chapter 2. Information about our committees and other resources are available on our website, https://aapca2.org. And the Member Input form link is available below if you have any questions/concerns/ideas to be discussed at our upcoming board meeting.

Your support and engagement makes the work of this chapter possible.

Melissa Ruiz, MD, MPH, FAAP

Are You Interested In Volunteering At The Pasadena Wildfire Relief Shelter? If you are a pediatrician or pediatric subspecialist and would like to help with Pasadena's wildfire shelter relief efforts, note your interest on this form. While there is no immediate need, we will start coordinating support once the need arises. Please note, this form is specifically looking for volunteers for the Pasadena shelter.

For further questions, please email wbarboza@aapca2.org. The AAP-CA2 thanks anyone who is able to spare their time to help with disaster relief.

Are you in need of local air quality resources for wildfire relief? Checkout the below links for information for those affected.

Pasadena Public Health Department

Safety Precautions and Ash Exposure Prevention

LACDPH

Fire Safety and Health Information

Resources For Those Impacted By Wildfires

During this time of emergency, we want to ensure resources available to all those impacted by the California wildfires. These resources, provided by AAP National, are available to those who need assistance. Additionally, statewide recovery resources can be accessed here.

AAP Parenting Resources – Information To Share With Families

• AAP.org: Wildfires Patient Care page
• HealthyChildren.org: Climate Change & Wildfires: Why Kids Are Most at Risk
• HealthyChildren.org: Wildfires: What Parents Need to Know
• AAP, EPA, PEHSU: Wildfire Smoke Fact Sheet: Protecting Children from Smoke & Ash
• Western States (Region 9) PEHSU resources; additionally, Region 9 PEHSU does provide consultations and referrals to support health professionals with medical management guidance on environmental health topics
• EPA: Wildfire Guide Factsheets
• How to Build a Disaster Emergency Kit for Your Family
• AAP Tips on Talking to a Child after a Disaster (AAP YouTube)
• How to Support Your Child’s Resilience in a Time of Crisis
• Helping Children Cope and Adjust After a Disaster
• Disasters and Children: hub of resources for physicians and families and communities, in both preparedness and recovery

Physician Wellness Resources

• Heroes Health is a free mobile app from the UNC School of Medicine that helps healthcare professionals and first responders monitor their mental health and access mental health resources.
• CrewCare is a resilience-focused app for first responders and healthcare professionals.
• Therapy Aid Coalition provides pro-bono therapy for frontline healthcare professionals, including individual and group support.
• The Emotional PPE Project connects healthcare professionals with licensed mental health professionals who can help. This service is free and does not require insurance. 
• A Personal Crisis Management Plan for Physicians
• Physician Support Line
• Mental Health Screening Tools

CalHHS Emergency Resources Guide

Helpful information regarding prescriptions, mental health support and more.

Filling Your Cup

By Niru Madduri, MD, FAAP

Chair, Newsletter Editorial Board

Many of us experienced howling winds, smoky air, and ominous darkness

beginning January 7 and culminating January 8. Some of us may have had to evacuate our homes in the middle of the night and some of us may have watched as flames engulfed a sanctuary we created with our loved ones. As the Palisades and Eaton Canyon wildfires rage on, it is important to acknowledge our own responses to these events. Continue reading.

ADHD: How General Pediatricians Can Properly Diagnose It | AAP News

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, can be diagnosed and assessed by any general pediatrician who has the proper workflow set up in their office. AAP-CA2 Past President (2016-2018) Edward Curry, MD, FAAP has been helping families whose children have ADHD for decades. He discusses the current ADHD toolkit and the American Academy of Pediatrics survey for the next edition, which will help guide pediatricians moving forward. Watch the video and access the ADHD Toolkit and Survey: https://publications.aap.org/toolkits

25 points of ABP MOC Part 4 credit

$750 at the end of the 4th cycle

• Baseline Data Collection (10 random charts)
• Three PDSA Cycles + Data Collection
• Monthly QI/data review calls

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

As part of our AAP-CA2 Advocacy Committee, we're calling for members interested in advocacy to consider serving as legislative key contacts for the chapter with their local elected officials!

As the state level legislative season progresses, there will be opportunities to contact state senators and assembly members when bills come up for consideration in committees or on the floor. We need to develop a core group of members who are ready to call or email their legislators when opportunities arise, and accompany pediatric residents on their annual local legislative visits. 

If you would be interested becoming a key contact, please fill out the form below with the requested information! Thanks again for your support of the chapter's advocacy efforts. 

Legislative Contacts Form

The latest in pediatric medicine.

High yield. High entertainment.

AAP-CA2 members may now Subscribe to PedsRAP with a 15% Discount.

Be sure to use the link by clicking the button below in order to have the discount applied at checkout:

For the 4^th year, we are excited to invite SOPT members to submit a proposal to receive up to $3,000 for research, programs, or education addressing health disparities and inequities. To apply, you must be current medical student, resident, or fellowship trainee member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and AAP Section on Pediatric Trainees.

Up to 12 proposals will be selected. The review committee is accepting proposals of varying types - program implementation, research studies, community initiatives, etc. ​​More information on past funded projects is ​available here. View the application for the timeline, eligibility, and reporting required.

This program was made possible through the generous support of AAP donors to the Friends of Children Fund.

Deadline: January 30, 2025 | Learn more & apply

Questions? Contact Britt Nagy. 

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - Now Open!

Submission Deadline: March 14, 2025 at 11:59PM PST

The AAP California Chapter 2 will accept abstracts on scholarly projects by pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents and medical students enrolled in training programs in the Southern California counties of Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. This is your chance to present your work live at the 36th Annual Advances In Pediatrics Symposium!

Abstracts can be on original research, quality improvement, clinical cases, or any other scholarly project conducted during residency training or medical school. 

Abstracts previously presented at another meeting or published in a journal can be submitted. For more details, download the guidlines.

Download/Print the Submission Guidelines

We'll Come To Your School or Hospital

Dear Medical Schools and Pediatric Residency Programs in AAP California Chapter 2, 

Are you interested in learning more about local advocacy efforts? Do you want to hear more about getting involved in AAP California Chapter 2? If yes, then please consider inviting our chapter leadership to your local pediatric interest group meeting, pediatric residency noon conference, or any other gathering. Our chapter leadership wants to connect with the trainees in the area so reach out to chapter2@aapca2.org to schedule an event at your medical school / residency program! 

October 29 - UCLA Department of Pediatric Noon Conference.

Pediatric residents, fellows and medical students, with Christine Thang, MD, FAAP (AAP District IX Early Career Representative) and AAP-CA2 staff Tomás Torices and William Barboza. Presentations to residency programs provide an overview of the organization, ways to get involved and opportunities for advocacy.

Reach Out and Reach Inland Empire Welcomes 2025!

By Delesa Barnes

Reach Out and Read Inland Empire Program Coordinator

Happy 2025 to our Reach Out and Read Inland Empire (RORIE) newsletter readers! The RORIE team extends infinite wishes of prosperity and good health to all our supporters, volunteers, partners, and the community! As RORIE continues to grow, we are now ecstatically supporting more than 100 pediatric sites in the Inland Empire! Read More!

Do you have any concerns, questions or ideas that we can discuss and address during upcoming board meetings? This form is anonymous and confidential, with the option of entering your personal information and/or receive a call from a board member, staff, or any other chapter representative.

If you have any concerns, questions, or ideas that you would like to share, please complete This Form.

Cal-MAP’s team of mental health specialists supports primary care providers (PCPs) treating youth with mental health needs through education, consultation, and resource navigation. This includes advice on screening, diagnosis, and treatment from a child psychiatrist and guidance on resources and referrals from a social worker.

Register for the Cal-MAP consultation program here: https://cal-map.org

Cal-MAP Resources:

PCP Resources

Family Resources

800-253-2103

Email: info@cal-map.org

NAMI Westside Los Angeles is an affiliate of National Alliance of Mental Illness, a grassroots mental health advocacy organization dedicated to supporting individuals with mental health conditions, as well as their families and loved ones. To find out about NAMI's support groups and courses, which are free of charge to participants, please go https://www.nami.org/findsupport/ to identify the NAMI affiliate that is most local to you. NAMI Westside Los Angeles has also been developing a Children's Mental Health Toolbox, which includes materials that can be used in the home, the classroom, the counseling office, and other settings for youth recreation and education. This resource can be found here- https://namiwla.org/childrens-mental-health-toolbox/.

To learn more about the Children's Mental Health Toolbox, or how it might be used for your specific context, please feel free to reach out to ohakak@namila.org.

Also, please checkout this "Life Rocks" book created by NAMI which is about coping strategies and a great resource for patients of all ages. Click here to check it out.

Gasol Foundation (founded by NBA Champions Pau and Marc Gasol) is a nonprofit that works through programming, research, advocacy, and awareness to promote children’s wellness, with a focus on eliminating childhood obesity.



Every Gasol Foundation program incorporates physical activity and sports, healthy eating, sleep, and emotional well-being to improve the health of our children and their overall development. 

The Galactic Sports program consists of basic sports skills and wellness lessons for children ages 6-12. The program takes children through 10 weekly one-hour lessons in a sport (basketball, track and field, or soccer) while also engaging them on the importance of healthy habits.

LEARN MORE: https://gasolfoundation.org/galactic-sports/

Still Recruiting! AAP PROS invites pediatric primary care practices to refer children to an NIH Long COVID observational study. Why are some children sick months after having COVID?

• We invite you to take a look at the research findings from the first manuscript out of the NIH RECOVER (Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery) pediatric cohort, “Characterizing Long COVID in Children and Adolescents,” published August 21, 2024, in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Practices in the PROS network supported this work.
• We are still recruiting practices to the national RECOVER study to improve our understanding of the long-term effects of COVID. Practices refer families with (a) children and adolescents 17-years-old and younger suspected to have had prolonged symptoms of any kind after having COVID and (b) children 3-5 years-old who have NEVER had COVID. Each practice that refers families receives $1,500 and families receive up to $100 per child. If you are a practice interested in joining this study please contact Kristin Davis, kdavis@aap.org.

Still Recruiting! AAP PROS invites pediatric primary care practices to join the NIMH HEART+ teen suicide prevention study.

• Did you know? Findings from a new study revealed a significant increase in the suicide rate among U.S. preteens between the 2001-2007 and 2008-2022 periods.
• If you are a pediatric primary care practice with NO embedded/co-located mental health services interested in joining the RCT phase of the NIMH-funded HEART+ (HElp At-Risk Teens Thrive) study, contact Ali Torres, atorres@aap.org.

Questions? Ideas? Contact Everly Macario, ScD, Director of Primary Care Research, AAP, emacario@aap.org.

Upcoming Events

Save The Dates!

January 23 - Virtual Pediatric Lecture Series: Typhus

Don't miss the Virtual Pediatric Lecture Series, in partnership with CHOC Business Development, on January 23! This virtual event will feature Dr. Delma Nieves speaking on the topic of Typhus.

Learning Objectives

• Apply exam finding and exposure history information to determine risk or murine typhus.
• Be able to use laboratory data, signs, and symptoms to decide who needs to be referred to the hospital vs. who can remain as an outpatient.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (PDT)

To learn more and register, download the official event flier.

January 27

AAP-CA2 is continuing with networking events in each of the counties in our region. Members from all counties are invited, so if you are in the area, please join us on January 27, 2025 any time between 6:30 and 8:30 PM in Culver City.

• Meet chapter board members and committee chairs
• Learn about chapter projects and opportunities
• Connect with pediatric subspecialists. Bring your business cards!
• Medical students, residents/fellows, early career physicians, join us!
• Mental Health Professionals, join us to network together!
• There will be food and music!

Bring a Guest: Invite a pediatrician who is not a current Chapter 2 member and receive 10% off symposium registration for you and your guest.

Register Here!

Los Angeles Social Flier

Village Well Books & Coffee

9900 Culver Blvd

Culver City, California

January 28

The day after the Los Angeles social, we will be traveling to Santa Barbara for another amazing chapter social. Members from all counties are invited, so if you are in the area, please join us on January 28, 2025 any time between 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM in Santa Barbara.

• Meet chapter board members and committee chairs
• Learn about chapter projects and opportunities
• Connect with pediatric subspecialists. Bring your business cards!
• Medical students, residents/fellows, early career physicians, join us!
• Mental Health Professionals, join us to network together!
• There will be food and music at an incredible art gallery venue.

Special guest, Kimberly Wolf, DO will be demonstrating osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) techniques specific for the viral season, for:

• Otitis media
• Sinus drainage
• Cough/respiratory issues

Bring a Guest: Invite a pediatrician who is not a current Chapter 2 member and receive 10% off symposium registration for you and your guest.

Register Here!

Santa Barbara Social Flier

10 West Gallery

10 W Anapamu St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101

February 14 - 16 - Council on Communications and Media In-Person Media Training

The Council on Communications and Media (COCM) is proud to invite you to its in-person media training program in 2025. The program February 14 – 16, 2025 “Harnessing the Power of Media in Health Care” will offer a deep dive into on-camera interviewing, crisis communication, writing, putting together effective talking points, evaluating and pitching media, dealing with burnout and tough interview questions and much more. The training program will be at the Astor Crowne Plaza New Orleans French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana.

In addition to the trainings, there will be tremendous opportunities for networking and meeting like-minded pediatricians and health care workers interested in the power of communications. Registration will start soon. For information, email COCM@aap.org.

Thank you and see you in New Orleans!

Thomas C. McPheron

Manager, PR and Communications

February 19 - Town Hall With Ken Saul - Diabetes Prevention: New Testing & Treatment Options, Plus Real Life Implications

Join the AAP-CA2 on February 19th for an informative Town Hall with Dr. Ken Saul. This in-person event will take place at 6:30PM, and feature a keynote discussing "New Testing & Treatment Options, Plus Real Life Implications."

The event will be held at Maggiano's - 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Woodland Hills. To RSVP, please contact Dr. Ken Saul at docksaul@aol.com, or call him at (805)-494-1948. Download the event flier here!

March 11 - From Screening To Treatment: A Case-Based Exploration Of Pediatric Anxiety And Depression

In partnership with Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Join us at The Saban Research Institute on March 11, 2025 for the inaugural AAP-CA2 Mental Health Conference, From Screening To Treatment: A Case-Based Exploration Of Pediatric Anxiety And Depression. This conference brings together leading experts, clinicians, and researchers to explore the latest advancements in pediatric mental health. Gain practical insights, discover innovative treatments, and connect with a community dedicated to improving the well-being of children and families. It will be open to pediatricians, residents, and medical students, as well as allied mental health professionals.

Event Location

The Saban Research Institute

Across from CHLA

4650 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90027

Event Date

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Event Cost

In-Person Attendance: $50 (AAP-CA2 members will receive free parking)

Zoom: $60

Speakers to be announced. Topics for the event are listed below.

• Anxiety/Depression Pediatric Screening Tools
• Lifestyle Medicine Treatments/Pharmacological Strategies
• Case-Based Review With Q&A

Download Event Flier

Click Here To Register!

May 30 - 36th Annual AAP-CA2 Advances In Pediatrics Symposium - Date Change

Please note that the Advances in Pediatrics Symposium has been rescheduled to Friday, May 30, 2025 (originally set for May 17th). We sent a poll to our members and the vast majority of respondents preferred a Friday event. Stay tuned for more details. We can't wait to see you there!

• Help Me Grow LA website: www.HelpMeGrowLA.org 
• Help Me Grow LA Call Center phone number: (833) 903-3972 

You can help improve the system by partnering with Help Me Grow LA to make sure all young children in your care are supported and provided resources to benefit their development. 

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

Please visit our website: aapca2.org

Past issues of Peds@CA2 eNews: https://aapca2.org/publications/

Thank you to the 1,370 who follow us on X! @AAPCA2 and Instagram