Over the five hours we spent together, there was a constant buzz of excitement as we discussed potential advocacy and education projects, with mental health and obesity prevention emerging as key areas of focus. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Tomas and Will for their ability to organize an efficient and fruitful meeting and to Grant for generously opening his home to us. A special thanks to all the board members who made the effort to attend—I know how precious our weekends are and your commitment to our chapter is truly appreciated.

While we came up with a diverse array of areas for the chapter to work on, one was a clear frontrunner: Mental Health. And we will run with this. We are looking to start a mental health committee so please reach out to Tomas if you are interested in leading this or simply joining. Starting next month we will work to include mental health resources in our monthly newsletter. And finally we will be working toward building a mental health conference - stay tuned!

We want to hear from you! Earlier this month we launched the Member Input Form for chapter 2 members to share with the board of directors 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.

We should all vote in local, state, and national elections, and encourage the families we serve to do the same. This is essential for advancing legislation that prioritizes children. My AAP "VOTE KIDS" button serves as a daily reminder of our responsibility to put children first. As pediatricians, we excel at prevention and building strong individuals. Let's extend this approach to the ballot box. Please contact Tomas for AAP "VOTE KIDS" buttons. 

In terms of AAP presidential elections, voting opened on September 11. If you haven't already, please look for the link from the AAP and vote. This year, members of the four California chapters have an opportunity to vote for our District Chair, a leadership position that guides our state in pediatric issues that affect us and our patients. The district chair is a one-term 4-year position. Please learn about the two phenomenal candidates running for this position: Dr. Eric Ball and Dr. Alice Kuo. You may view the recording of the September 9th town hall via This Link. See more details below.

In the member spotlight we have Katelyn Klein, MD, pediatrician and interim site director at Venice Family Clinic.

In the Trainees’ Corner, we have the research presented at the 2024 Symposium by Gabriel Espinoza, MD of Loma Linda University on hepatitis B immunizations.

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.

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

Melissa Ruiz, MD, MPH, FAAP

Genesis Medicus - Teaching Faculty for LA & Surrounding Communities!

Genesis Medicus – Clinical Campus (“GM-CC”), has been engaged by a non-profit to facilitate MS3 and MS4 students with their clinical rotations in Los Angeles. Most of the students have chosen this educational path because they have a strong desire to be a physician and serve communities with critical healthcare needs. Their medical school experience includes in-class education coupled with clinical rotations, in their 3rd and 4th year of medical school. This preceptorship clinical educational model is based upon a ratio of 2 to 4 students rotating with 1 preceptor or within a group practice setting. In an effort to support physicians, Genesis Medicus has administrative staff and offices located at various teaching hospitals throughout Los Angeles. They provide physicians with the school’s educational curriculum for a successful teaching experience and available for support & guidance as needed. The students’ medical schools provide professional liability coverage during their rotations.

Genesis Medicus is seeking pediatricians that enjoy teaching and can accommodate rotation placements ranging from 3 to 6 weeks for community or hospital based Pediatric Primary Care or Specialty Practices (mostly office based; inpatient Ok but not required) and they are offering a stipend for the physicians' time (Ex. $1,500 for a 6-week rotation per student). One objective is for the student to find a specialty of interest and select a residency specialty option in their 4th year, and some might have an interest in applying for pediatric residency and hopefully settle within AAP-CA2 counties.

To find out more about the preceptor opportunities please contact:

J. Chris Cintron, JD, MPA

SVP Academic & Clinical Affairs

ccintron@genesismedicus.com

404.961.0384

www.genesismedicus-cc.com

Name: Katelyn Klein, M.D.

Practice location: Venice Family Clinic

Number of years in practice:  1

I am from southern California but have called many places home including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Malawi, and Los Angeles. I spent the first part of my career in the medical field working as a nurse. I was an ICU charge nurse, ER nurse, and then worked in a rural region of Malawi... Read more

The Member Spotlight is written to highlight our chapter membership. Chapter members can submit personal narratives about themselves with a focus on how they maintain their physician wellness in the face of everyday struggles and challenges. Authors may also choose to highlight a practice, volunteer activities, QI projects, etc. The purpose of the spotlight series is to encourage and foster unity and support within the chapter.

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

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.



Proposition 35

Make permanent a tax on managed health care insurance plans. This initiative is sponsored by California’s health care industry to raise more money for Medi-Cal and block lawmakers from using the cash to avoid cuts to other programs. The measure would hold Newsom to a promise to permanently secure that tax money for health care for low-income patients.

Read this article on the CalMatters website.

Access the full initiative here.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5

Children are counting on us; vote like their future depends on it.

Candidates elected to positions up and down the ballot will shape policies that directly impact the health of young people, families and communities. Pediatricians can use their voices to elevate the importance of voting for elected leaders who put children first. 

The AAP is partnering with Vot-ER , a nonpartisan, health professional-driven organization working to integrate civic engagement into healthcare. Join the AAP’s nonpartisan Get Out the Vote campaign and share with patients and families the importance of voting.

View key “Vote Kids” messages, social media samples and Graphics by visiting AAP’s Spread the Vote page. You may access additional resources on the Get Out the Vote Tools page.

September Social Pedia Newsletter

What's happening this month?

September is Attendance Awareness Month, just in-time for back to school. It is also Suicide Prevention month, with resources available to use/share in this month's letter, along with information on Disaster Preparedness Month resources.

Access all resources in This Month's Issue.

Improving Timeliness Of Hepatitis B Immunization In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Gabriel Espinoza, MD (LLU)

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends administering the hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine to all stable newborns >2000 g within 24 hours of birth. Baseline data obtained from January 2023 to April 2023 showed that only 32% of eligible infants in our single center level IV NICU received Hepatitis B vaccination within the first 24 hours of life. In addition, only 48% of our admitted infants > 2000g had accurate assessment of hepatitis B administration recommendations. Read More!

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!

Celebrating National Literacy Month by Making Reading a Daily Routine

By Delesa Barnes

Reach Out and Read Inland Empire Program Coordinator

As we kick off the back-to-school season, it's the perfect time to celebrate National Literacy Month! Reach Out

and Read Inland Empire hopes to continue to motivate families and pediatric providers to participate in our mission to spread the love of reading! We know life can get busy with new schedules, activities, and routines, but fitting in reading time doesn't have to be stressful. Read More!

September Update  

This month’s immunization newsletter includes updates on September Immunization campaigns. There is also information on a VPDC survey, back to school, COVID-19, and all upcoming webinars.

View the full update, here.

• Charlotte Abiezzi, DO - Los Angeles
• Sarah Arif, PA - Bakersfield
• Cintya Beltran Sanchez, MD - Indio
• Margarita Bolanos, MD - Phelan
• Alexis Carmona - Fontana
• Alex Dombrower, MD - Sherman Oaks
• Kena Gunter, NP - Corona
• Bethany Hung, MD - Diamond Bar
• Zain Khalifeh, MD - Manhattan Beach
• Nathan Lichti - San Luis Obispo
• Corinne Maxwell, PA - Rancho Cucamonga
• Daniel Oheb, MD - Los Angeles
• Michelle Paw - Redlands
• Joshua Robbins, DO - Temecula
• Nyah Rodman, MD - Los Angeles
• Myriam Shehata, MD - Los Angeles
• Sameera Siddiqi, MD - Los Angeles
• Timothy Smith - Riverside
• Alangoya Tezel, MD - Los Angeles
• Nikolas Victoria, MD - Santa Barbara
• Ivy Yin, NP - Rowland Heights

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

September is Suicide Prevention Month and we are hosting an important Chapter Chat focused on Suicide Prevention. We will discuss how to effectively communicate with adolescents who may be struggling with suicide ideation or other mental health issues, how to identify high-risk and low-risk situations and highlight resources like Cal-MAP to support the youth in your practice. The event will be hosted on September 18 at 7PM.

Register Here

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.

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.

PROS Director Dr. Alex Fiks is presenting at the 2024 AAP National Conference & Exhibition (NCE)!

• Don’t miss Dr. Fiks’ original research oral presentation, “A Multi-Component Practice-Based Intervention to Increase Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: An AAP PROS Network RCT” (Sunday, September 29, 2024, 10:08-10:16 a.m.).
• Register here for the 2024 AAP NCE, Orlando, Florida, September 27-October 1, 2024.

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

Upcoming Events

Save The Date!

October 16 at 6:30 pm - Ken Saul Town Hall

Don't miss the next town hall! It will include a discussion on the top 10 medical & business issues of the quarter: including Vaccine Updates, Ophthalmology, ENT, Dermatology, and ID. Sponsored by Novo Nordisk.

RSVP to Kenneth Saul, MD by emailing docksaul@aol.com or calling (805)-494-1948.

November 1 at 8:00 am - CHLA 5th Annual Updates in Hospital Pediatrics

A one-day event held at CHLA that will feature experts in the field of PHM presenting an instructive and interactive program aimed at increasing knowledge and skills related to the practice of inpatient pediatrics. Presenters will provide a well-rounded, accessible program that includes lectures, case-based learning and live Q&A. A networking reception will follow the talks on November 1th at 5pm. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ : 5.50 Credits.

Register Here!

For more information, email mtrost@chla.usc.edu.

Make sure you mark your calendars for next year’s

36th Annual Advances in Pediatrics Symposium!

May 17, 2025

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