The conference featured a remarkable line-up of speakers, including two physicians who are members of the state assembly—Drs. Jasmeet Bains and Akilah Weber—as well as Dr. Mark Ghaly, a pediatrician and Secretary of California Health and Human Services. It was inspiring to hear about their paths from clinical medicine to state government, and to learn about the initiatives they are championing to benefit child and family health in our state.

Pediatricians from across the state were able to participate in advocacy training and meet with their legislators to discuss child health policy issues such as Medi-Cal reimbursement, screening for social determinants of health, and protections around social media use, all of which likely impact your patients and pediatric practices. I would like to thank the leadership of AAP California for organizing this event. I would also like to thank our state government affairs representatives, Drs. Marti Baum and Susan Wu, and our legislative analyst, Dr. Kamaal Jones, for their contributions.

If you are interested in state-level advocacy and would like to attend this conference, please look out for e-mail invitations early next year. We would love to have more chapter members participate!

The second event was our annual Chapter Symposium, held on May 20 at UCLA. This was our second year hosting the event in-person after the COVID-19 pandemic. It was fantastic getting to meet chapter members in person, to hear talks from our outstanding speakers, and to tour the posters presented by our trainees. Please see Dr. Niru Madduri’s article below for more details about the symposium. I would like to thank our Executive Director, Dr. Tomas Torices, for putting on yet another successful conference for our chapter.

I would also like to thank Dr. Christine Thang for her service as founding chair of our newsletter’s Editorial Committee, and to welcome Dr. Madduri who will be assuming the role. The newsletter has expanded considerably under Dr. Thang’s leadership, and I have enjoyed reading recurring features such as the Member Spotlight that have helped us get to know our colleagues better.

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!

Upcoming events in this month’s newsletter include:

I hope you have a wonderful month!

Best wishes,

Grant Christman, MD, MACM, FAAP

The AAP-CA2 Newsletter Editorial Review Board was established to highlight valuable educational content and resources for chapter members and to showcase our chapter membership including practicing pediatricians and trainees! We thank Dr. Christine Thang for chairing the board since its inception in 2020. We welcome its new Chair, Dr. Niru Madduri starting this July 1, 2023. Additionally, we welcome new chapter members to join the board by contacting nmadduri@sbcglobal.net. If you are looking to get more involved in the chapter, please consider joining!  

Peds@CA2 eNews is published monthly. Newsletter submission guidelines can be found here. Article submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis. Please direct questions and article submissions to the American Academy of Pediatrics - CA Chapter 2 via email to chapter2@aapca2.org or call (818) 422-9877. 

Bill Updates

The legislative session continues to press forward. June 2^nd marked the final day for any bills to make it out of their house of origin. That is to say, bills that were written in the State Assembly, had to pass out of the Assembly, and bills that were written in the State Senate, had to pass out of the Senate by this deadline. Any bills that did not pass out of their house of origin, and progress to the other house (Assembly to Senate, or Senate to Assembly), now generally fall into one of two categories... Continue Reading

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

As you are likely aware, suicide is a leading cause of death among young people. National data indicate worsening trends in suicidality and mental health over the last decade. To address this, AAP has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to establish a community of AAP and AFSP Suicide Prevention Ambassadors that will be trained in community partnership strategies. Are you interested in this project? Read more ...

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.

To all the Tweetiatricians out there, the AAP provides monthly content ideas to facilitate your communication with your followers. Follow the links below to access templated content for your messages.

AAP is proud to celebrate LGBTQ+ children, families, pediatricians, and staff! You can download the new "We Care for ALL Children & Families" poster here. The poster can be displayed in an exam room, waiting room, or front window to show that your practice supports LGBTQ+ children and families.

Are you interested in recording a short video that could be published on AAP’s Instagram? If so, reply to this email. The videos would answer questions like “What does Pride mean to you as a healthcare provider?”, “What should the parents of LGBTQ+ children know?”, and “How can medical professionals be better allies?”.

Our AAP CA2 symposium commenced on May 20, 2023, and provided a variety of socially relevant and fascinating topics. As our tradition of gathering in UCLA began, the sun broke through the gray clouds. Our speakers and presenters represented our chapter from all over Southern California and as far as Washington State. Presenters shared their insight and experiences working in areas of much need, but, where there is limited training. Continue reading ...

Kelly Garrity, MD (UCLA); Nathaniel Putnam, MS; Debbie Gipson, MD (University of Michigan); Elaine Kamil, MD(Cedar Sinai); Susan Massengill, MD (Atrium Health); Jaya Issac, MD (Montefiore); Myda Khalid, MD (IU) 

Background: Few studies have examined social and clinical outcomes of adolescent and young adult (AYA) onset glomerular disease (GD) despite evidence that such outcomes may differ by age of disease onset. 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. 

We are reaching out to invite medical students and pediatric trainees to contribute an article to our AAPCA2 monthly newsletter to be published in an upcoming month. The AAPCA2 Newsletter Editorial Board will help to review and edit all submissions prior to publication.  Read more...  

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

June brings about an opportunity to strengthen our work around implementing Reach Out & Read (ROR), emphasizing early relational health beginning at birth, increasing awareness within our community, and strengthening advocacy amongst members as we celebrate securing full-operational funds to implement ROR for the 23-24 FY! Continue reading...

Candace Gragnani, MD, MPH (PI) and Dr. Priyanka Fernandes, MBBS, MPH (Co-PI) from the Preventive Medicine program at the University of California, Los Angeles and Nooshin Razani, MD, MPH from the UCSF Center for Nature and Health are conducting a research study. The UCLA/UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network is funding this study. You were selected as a possible participant in this study because you are a park staff member or healthcare provider serving communities in California. Your participation in this research study is completely voluntary.  

This research is being done in order to expand awareness around adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma-informed care approaches, and how nature can be used to mitigate toxic stress in youth experiencing ACEs. In order to help identify what types of needs, technical assistance, and ideas park staff/parks and healthcare providers have around working and caring for youth who have experienced trauma, we are conducting a virtual focus group ($100 Compensation) and a short online survey ($25 compensation). If you are interested in taking part, please see our attached flyer or email Charlene Choi for more information at cachoi@mednet.ucla.edu. 

Learn about the Focus Group Take the Survey

The Department of Public Health (DPH) encourages pediatricians to subscribe to two important communication channels to stay up-to-date with health alerts and information:

DPH uses the Los Angeles Health Alert Network (LAHAN) to share priority communications with health care professionals. Topics include local or national disease outbreaks and emerging health risks. Click here to subscribe.   

See past LAHAN communications here: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/lahan/ 

The Vaccine Preventable Disease Control Program for Pediatric Providers GovDelivery is the primary communication method used to share new information and updates on vaccines. Click here to subscribe. 

Dalia Altarshan, BS, MS (Med Student) - Toledo

Vaseema Arastu, MD, FAAP - La Mirada

Mary Antonette Co, MD, FAAP - La Mirada

Christopher Corona (Med Student) - Fort Worth

Sherin Devaskar, MD, FAAP - Los Angeles

Maged Ibrahim, MD, FAAP - Rancho Cucamonga

Sindhu Mohandas, MD, FAAP - La Canada Flintridge

Stephen Michael Nathanson, MD, FAAP – Valencia

Jasmin Persch, MD, FAAP - Los Angeles

Brittany Tsai (Med Student) - Chino Hills

Shaylene Velu (Med Student) - Pleasanton

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

Save the Date for LAC DPH-AAP Pediatric Information Session 

You are invited to join our next Vaccine Preventable Disease Control Information Session for Pediatric Providers scheduled Tuesday, July 11th at 12:00 pm. The theme is School Health and we are pleased to announce that LAUSD's, Chief Medical Director, Smita Malhotra, MD, will join us to present "Health Access and Equity in a School Setting”.   View the Flier

Please contact csepulveda@ph.lacounty.gov to be added to the meeting invite or use the following Microsoft Teams link: Click here to join the meeting

Please contact csepulveda@ph.lacounty.gov to be added to the meeting invite or use the following Microsoft Teams link: Click here to join the meeting

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.

Did you miss a lecture? . Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

View Youtube/aapca2 to access all recordings.

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.

For advertisement rates and guidelines, please click here.

If you are interested in advertising, please email the Chapter.

Members-At-Large

Area Representatives

For the ninth year in a row, the AAP-CA2 is a recipient of the 2020 AAP Award of Chapter Excellence in recognition for its accomplishments during the 2020 calendar year. We would like to thank you, our members, for your loyalty as we advocate for children, pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, bringing you opportunities for engagement and professional development.

Please visit our website: aapca2.org

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

Thank you to the 1,346 who follow us on Twitter! @AAPCA2