Dedicated to the health of children and adolescents.

February 2022

President's Perspective

by Kristie Clark, MD, FAAP

While preparing to advocate for the CARE Network amendment to Adrian’s Law, I encountered several physicians and lawmakers who were uncertain about it. This surprised me, as protecting children seems like something we can all rally behind. When I listened to their concerns, I realized that they just didn’t have all the information. This is a case where further explanation bolsters support. Adrian’s tragic story about a child whose report of abuse went unevaluated medically and who later was murdered illustrates why this amendment is so important.

We need our stories even more so when advocacy issues are more challenging. As the social psychologist Jonathan Haidt said in The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion: “The human mind is a story processor, not a logic processor.” Each of us hold important stories, which might influence decision making, and the lives of our children depend on it.

Somebody must advocate, since kids can’t vote, and who better than us pediatricians who chose this profession because we love kids? I just finished sociology researcher Brené Brown’s Atlas of the Heart, which I highly recommend, and her quote about love resonates: “We need more love. Gritty, dangerous, wild-eyed, justice-seeking love.”

Thank you to those of you who attended advocacy day in Topeka. I enjoyed seeing you and am grateful for your dedication and courage to show up. After Mel Hudelson, Dr. Hansen, and Dr. Killough gave testimony in support of the CARE Network, twenty-one of us got up and left the hearing which made a clear statement: our pediatricians advocate to protect kids.

For those of you who couldn’t make it to Topeka in person—after all, we are still in the middle of a pandemic—please know that there are other ways you may advocate for our Kansas kids. Please be looking for emails about opportunities to write testimony or reach out to your lawmakers. If you haven’t already done so, take a moment to email your state Representative and Senator—look them up at openstates.org—to introduce yourself because relationships matter and so does your voice.

Thank you for all you do for Kansas kids!

Executive Director Update

by Melissa Hudelson

It's 70 degrees today, and while I know that it will be in the 20s again tomorrow, it is a great reminder that spring is just around the corner and there is so much to look forward to. I am excited to have the Progress in Pediatrics – Spring 2022 in person after meeting virtually for the last two years. I hope you will consider joining us in Overland Park on April 8th for a great lineup of speakers, CME, and time to network with pediatrician colleagues from across the state. You can learn more about the meeting and register online here. I have missed seeing you in person!

I am happy to introduce you to our new Vaccine Liaison, Mallory Laur. She will be working from her home office in Prairie Village, and she is anxious to learn how she can support you with anything vaccine related. You can reach Mallory at mallory.laur@kansasaap.org.

There are just a few more days to submit an application for the Kansas Kids Fund Pediatricians in Action grant. We have increased the funding this year, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to work on a project that will help your practice or improve child health in your community.

We know that this has been a stressful time and we created a KAAP Slack channel for members to connect and post funny memes, share experiences, and learn general information about chapter activities. I hope you will consider joining and letting us know how you are doing. You can join here.

Ready for Spring?

We can't wait to see you again!

Progress in Pediatrics Spring 2022

Friday, April 8th

Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center

The board members serving on the development committee have worked hard to bring you relevant and timely topics such as Opioid Stewardship in Pediatrics. We can't wait for our first in-person meeting in more than 2 years!

Agenda

Details and Registration

KAAP Legislative Update

by Dena K. Hubbard MD, FAAP

KAAP 2022 Advocacy Day: CARE, KanCare, and Vaccines, Oh My!

KAAP held our 3rd annual advocacy day on February 9th. Although COVID continues, we felt it was important to be visible to legislators in the State House. KAAP was well represented with 16 pediatricians and residents in attendance. We had several honorable guests including our very own Dr. Pam Shaw and KAAP Lobbyist Stuart Little. Our focus for Advocacy Day 2022 was the CARE legislation (amendment to Adrian’s Law) which will improve the way reports of physical abuse are addressed in Kansas for young children. This bill (HB 2632, SB 460) is a perfect exhibit of the mission of AAP and KAAP seized the opportunity as servant leaders in building the foundation for this legislation. See our advocacy leave-behind handout here. We had the opportunity to hear from KDADS and DCF Deputy Secretary Tanya Keys, Secretary Howard was also in attendance. We also heard from Kerrie Lonard in the newly formed Office of Child Advocate. KAAP members Drs. Killough and Hansen were able to provide clarification and insight during our Advocacy Day presentation as well as testimony during an informational hearing in House Children and Senior Services Committee about the benefits of the program and how it has operated successfully in Missouri. Hot off the press, HB 2632 passed out of committee! We are optimistic that this legislation will pass, however the next step is to get a vote in the house.

Acting KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek and State Medicaid Director Sarah Fertig attended KAAP Advocacy Day and generated a nice dialogue on issues related to extending Medicaid postpartum coverage, increasing pediatric payment rates, increasing confidence in public health and vaccinations. One of the highlights of our KAAP Advocacy Day handout is the extension of postpartum maternal Medicaid coverage to 12 months. This is an issue KAAP has been advocating for with KDHE and the KanCare team for 3 years. We know that the first year postpartum is a high-risk time for maternal morbidity and mortality and that there are great racial disparities and inequities in maternal morbidity and mortality rates in Kansas. Sixty days postpartum is inadequate coverage. Funding for this extension has been included in Governor Kelly’s budget, and we are hopeful the legislature will approve.

Read the full update

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

by Tyler K. Smith, MD, MPH and Kelly Kreisler, MD, MPH

Winter greetings from the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion! Our vision: For KAAP to lead the way and be a role model for pediatricians, patients and families, and the community in diversity, equity, and inclusion. With the growth of our committee, comes the opportunity to critique our work over the past year and hold ourselves accountable to the goals set by the committee and by the board. We completed two of the four SMART objectives set for 2021: provide three presentations to KAAP members related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and KAAP Board of Directors will participate in a guided discussion to better understand the role of diversity at all levels and implicit bias by the end of the year. We did not complete our goals of identifying three organizations working in this space and connecting with these organizations by the end of 2021. Under the direction of the KAAP Board of Directors, the committee is creating a DEI checklist to ensure diversity is woven into the fabric of all board activities. We are also revising the vision, mission and goals, which can be found on the KAAP website.

Each quarter we would like to highlight a few observances related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. January 27th marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day set aside to memorialize the six million Jews and 11 million others killed by the Nazi regime. During the month of February, we celebrate and honor Black History Month, which was developed by Carter G. Woodson, Ph.D., an author and historian known as the “Father of Black History.” Dr. Woodson earned his Ph. D in 1912, making him the second African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard. Dr. Woodson, whose parents were enslaved, recognized the need for widespread education about the accomplishments of African Americans throughout history. He founded “Negro History Week,” the precursor to Black History Month, hoping in time this event would not be necessary as the importance of African Americans' accomplishments and contributions to society would be integrated into all teaching of history. March is Women’s History Month and National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The theme for Women’s History Month 2022 is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.”

Read the full update

Introducing the KAAP Vaccine Liaison

I’m pleased to introduce myself as the newest member of the KAAP team, serving as your Vaccine Liaison. I’m here to be your bridge to vaccination support and resources, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas, questions or issues, and I’ll be happy to help. We know that how to talk through vaccine hesitancy with families is a priority for our members, and we are working setting up a webinar this spring to help you navigate those tough conversations. More information to come.

While this is only my first week with KAAP, I’m ready to dive in and learn how I can best support you. I work from home in Prairie Village where I live with my husband and four-year-old son – he’s my “why” for building upon the important work of KAAP and our members.

I look forward to connecting with you. I can be reached at mallory.laur@kansasaap.org.

KPF Update

Although 2021 was another tough year, we set an aggressive goal of $30,000 for our annual appeal. Our supporters blew that away. Year-end gifts to KPF totaled an amazing $41,365! Your contributions will continue to grow the Kansas Kids Fund and the Literacy Endowment so we can keep working to improve child health in Kansas.

The Turn a Page. Touch a Mind.® (TAP-TAM) early literacy program continues to reach children across the state of Kansas, adding seven new sites in 2021 and an additional one so far in 2022. The 751 participating TAP-TAM physicians and medical providers handed out books to children at 138 sites during 2021. These books allow the physicians and other medical providers to assess the development of the patient, discuss age-appropriate behavior, and encourage families to read together every day.

Thank you to each individual and organization who contributed to the Kansas Pediatric Foundation in 2021 to support child health in Kansas!

E-cigarette Chapter Champion Report

by Mandee Olinger DO, MA, FAAP

Dear KAAP Members: As your E-cigarette Chapter Champion, I wanted to share an update from the Tobacco Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

What’s new in the world of Tobacco Control?

At the very end of 2021, the Truth Initiative published “While You Were Streaming - Smoking on Demand”, which is an analysis of smoking and vaping content in streaming platforms popular among youth.

Prior research has demonstrated that exposure to tobacco imagery through movies has a causal relationship with youth initiating use of combustible tobacco. More recently, this exposure has been shown to triple a young person’s odds of starting to vape. So, monitoring the content of what’s popular on Netflix and other streaming platforms such as YouTube is extremely important.

Read the full update

Schedule Maternal Depression Screening Trainings with Free CME

On January 1, 2021, KanCare began paying for maternal depression screening. KAAP is offering Maternal Depression Screening trainings for practices that include free CME and a lunch stipend for your office. Contact Mel at mel.hudelson@kansasaap.org for more information or to schedule your training.

Updating KanCare Contact Info

Once the continuous coverage for Medicaid enrollees due to the ongoing public health emergency has ended, many KanCare enrollees will have moved since their last renewal/re-determination, without updating their contact information with the state’s KanCare clearinghouse (it’s not enough to update with their MCO). In order to prevent significant churn (disenrollment/re-enrollment in a short period of time), enrollees (or the parents of kid enrollees) need to update their contact information ASAP. Research shows that churn can most significantly impact children enrolled in Medicaid.

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