In this Issue:

• WCAAP Celebrates its Members!
• Drs. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar and Tumaini Rucker Coker Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
• Drs. Peter Asante, Cora Breuner, and Jill Sells Recognized for their Contributions with AAP Awards
• Drs. Fred Rivara and Michelle Terry Recognized by King County Medical Society
• Healthcare Coverage now Available for All in WA--Regardless of Immigration Status
• WCAAP News & Information
• WCAAP's New Treasurer: Thank you Dr. Willis! Welcome, Dr. White!
• Rafton's Round Up
• Staff Spotlight: Sarah Nau, MSW
• Register for Advocacy Day
• Save the Date! GivingTuesday 2023
• WA-CHIP Immunization Learning Collaborative Update
• WCAAP Equitable Care Webinar
• Equitable Care Question of the Month
• Assuring Health Care Plans for Children in Childcare are Complete, Clear, and Comprehensible
• Resources
• Reminder/Recall Letter Template
• Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Trainings from Forefront
• Upcoming Trauma-Informed Pediatric Care and Resilience ECHO
• Noteworthy
• Ten Times as Many Babies Born with Syphilis in 2022 compared to 2012
• Pediatrics on Call Podcast (Sherri)
• Pediatric Resident of UW is Looking for a new Pediatric Practice
• Who's Who at WCAAP

Drs. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar and Tumaini Rucker Coker Elected to the National Academy of Medicine

A huge, heartfelt congratulations are in order for WCAAP members, Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar and Dr. Tumaini Rucker Coker, who were elected to the National Academy of Medicine in recognition of their excellence in the fields of health and medicine, along with their commitment to volunteer service. We are so fortunate to have their leadership!

Read the Announcement Here

Drs. Peter Asante, Cora Breuner, and Jill Sells Recognized for their Contributions with AAP Awards

WCAAP members Dr. Peter Asante, Dr. Cora Breuner, and Dr. Jill Sells, received awards at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2023 NCE conference. We are thrilled their contributions are being recognized and lauded, and we count ourselves so lucky to have them as champions for children and teens.

Dr. Asante received the Richard B. Heyman award for their work in their community to improve the care for teenagers and educate pediatricians about adolescents' needs and the health care they require.

Dr. Breuner received the Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann Award as someone who exemplifies excellence in the field of adolescent health and is an advocate for adolescents.

Dr. Sells received the Dr. Susan S. Aronson Early Education and Child Care Advocacy Award, which recognizes a health professional who has made ongoing efforts to improve the health and safety of children in early education and childcare settings.

Read the Announcement Here

Drs. Fred Rivara and Michelle Terry Honored by the King County Medical Society

Earlier this month, WCAAP members Dr. Fred Rivara and Dr. Michelle Terry were recognized with Excellence in Medicine Awards at the King County Medical Society's Community Foundation Gala. Dr. Rivara was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Dr. Terry was recognized with the Reducing Health Disparities Award. We are so grateful for their incredible contributions in service to the families of Washington and for the Chapter!

All Washingtonians, Regardless of Immigration Status, Can Now Purchase Health Coverage for 2024

Starting this November, everyone who lives in Washington state will have the opportunity to buy health and dental insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder, regardless of immigration status. Resources and additional details can are also available in 16 languages.

WCAAP's New Treasurer: Thank you, Dr. Willis! Welcome, Dr. White!

Beth Ebel, MD, FAAP, MsC, MPH

Chapter President

The WCAAP Executive Board would like to share that David Willis, MD, FAAP, has moved to Washington DC to be near his grandchildren and is stepping down as WCAAP Treasurer. We are grateful for all Dr. Willis has done to support the fiscal health of the Chapter in his two years of service during a time of significant growth and transition. Dr. Willis’ commitment to getting children and families off to the best start has been core to his professional mission, and we are delighted to have his continued guidance and contributions to WCAAP's work with the Pediatrics Supporting Parents (PSP) and Early Childhood Committee. Please join us in sharing our gratitude to David for his leadership.

Per Chapter bylaws, the Board may appoint an officer when a term ends prematurely. We are absolutely thrilled to announce that last the Board enthusiastically approved Cicely White, MD, FAAP, as WCAAP’s new Treasurer. 

Rafton's Roundup

Sarah Rafton, MSW

Executive Director

This month I am reflecting on the strength of our community — the work we can accomplish together and the fulfillment and connection our community provides. In October, many of you and pediatricians from across the country gathered in Washington DC for the AAP’s National Conference and Exhibition. I am grateful I was able to attend the meeting to learn more about how youth and family voice can lead advocacy, fentanyl prevention and treatment, and adolescents and social media.



The NCE sessions I attended in “the other Washington” also validated that Washington State is the place to be — our policies and investments in family well-being, early childhood and gun safety are exemplary.

Staff Spotlight: Sarah Nau, MSW

Role at WCAAP: Communications Director

Where do you live in WA?: The Cedar Park neighborhood of Seattle (about as far northeast as you can get and still be in the city).

What earlier work or experiences led you to WCAAP?: After moving to Seattle from Chicago (where I grew up) in 2016, I was working as a communications consultant for a bevy of clients, including small, women-owned businesses like pip & grow, which worked to bring Finnish safe sleep baby boxes to the US, as well as international Fortune 500 companies, like Nike. I was also a Program Manager for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the national AAP, helped to expand Health Leads, a national nonprofit that utilizes undergraduate volunteers in hospitals and clinics to help providers better understand and address social determinants of health.

Most exciting part of your work at WCAAP: As a former clinical social worker with an undergraduate degree in English, I've always been keen to figure out just how to best communicate information so that it will have the best impact or outcome for others. Working as the Communications Director for the Chapter feels like I get to use all aspects of both my education as well as my interests.

What are you looking forward to in your work with WCAAP: Although I've only been a part of the team for just about 6 months, I'm so very impressed with what the Chapter has already accomplished--and hopes to accomplish in the near and distant future. I am excited to be a part of such a dedicated group of people throughout the state.

Current Book, TV Show, or Podcast Recommendation: I can't recommend "Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture" by Virginia Sole-Smith enough. (Her podcast, "Burnt Toast" is also phenomenal!)

Register now for Advocacy Day!

Join us in Olympia for a day of advocacy on Monday, February 12, 2024, along with Keynote Speaker, Dr Sandy Chung, 2023 President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition to hearing from other speakers throughout the day, WCAAP will also help set up meetings with your district legislators and give you talking points and issue briefs to help you prepare for those conversations. You can learn more about Advocacy Day and our efforts here.

Advocacy Day is free to attend (though we welcome donations to help offset the cost!)

We hope to see you there!

WA-CHIP Immunization Learning Collaborative Update

Marina Martinez, Program Manager

We are proud to share our hardworking cohort 5 clinics have reduced their missed vaccination opportunities by a median of 13% across 12 clinics halfway through the intervention period. I’ve highlighted just a few of their success stories below.

The most common interventions across clinics are reminder recall, posters, and staff training. All of our clinics implemented reminder recall to get to get kids vaccinated before the back to school rush, with 9 of our 12 clinics creating and hanging a poster as their intervention. When paired with staff training to reference the poster and provide a strong recommendation, staff says, “It's like there is a second recommendation in the room.” Parents will even bring up vaccines before providers, referencing the poster.  Some additional successes include:

If you are interested in joining WCAAP’s upcoming Immunization Learning Collaborative for Cohort 6, please contact Marina Martinez for more information or check out our recruitment flyer for additional details.

WCAAP Equitable Care Webinar: Environmental Justice

Wednesday, December 6th at 7am PST on Zoom

Join WCAAP’s Equitable Care Committee as we welcome Washington State Pediatricians for Climate Action. Drs. Mary Beth Bennett, Simona Martin, and Angela Y. Zhang will present on how environmental factors on our changing planet can lead to disease and health disparities, when the places where families live, work, learn, and play are burdened by social and spatial inequities.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Elexis Jackson.

Equitable Care Question of the Month

It is Friday morning, the end of a long week. You have been both in clinic and on call every day for the past 7 days. There have been quite a few nights where sleep has been elusive due to phone calls from patients and families, understaffing, inequities in care provision and endless time reviewing charts and in documentation. You are emotionally and physically exhausted.



A pop up email comes into your inbox at 9 AM asking you to join a free online meditation class at Noon today. You realize that this is the only time you will be able to catch up on charting, phone calls, and prescription writing before an overbooked afternoon clinic. You feel frustrated because you really don’t feel like a meditation class will help, but you also would like to find that person who once felt that medicine was a calling and a joyful profession.

Join WCCAP's Equitable Care Committee

The Equitable Care Committee was founded in the Summer of 2020. Since then, ECC has compiled a toolkit, accompanied by a series of quarterly webinars, to serve as a reference for healthcare clinical and administrative teams – centering themes equity, diversity, and inclusion – in their efforts to create a more anti-racist and just world in spaces where we provide care to children and families in WA State.

WCAAP remains committed to the work of Equitable Care in the pediatric and adolescent healthcare, and we are seeking new committee members. Committee members are asked to attend at least 9 monthly meetings, currently held on the 4th Tuesday of every month, from 12:15-1:15pm.

Questions? Please reach out to Elexis Jackson

Assuring Health Care Plans for Children in Childcare are Complete, Clear, and Comprehensible

Have you ever wondered why you are asked to complete specific health forms or care plans for child care? Or have you completed a form then been told by the parent that their “child care provider says they need additional information in order for their child to attend the program”?

The Child Care Health programs from Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and the Snohomish County Health Department have brought to our attention that many Care Plan templates used by the pediatric provider community are geared for use in K-12 schools, not child care/early learning programs, and most are not compliant with Washington state’s Administrative Codes (WACs) that child care/early learning programs are required to follow.

Stark contrasts exist between K-12 settings and child care/early learning programs. It is important to keep the following differences in mind when completing care plans and health forms for children attending child care/early learning programs:

Pediatric Residency of the University of Washington is Looking for a New Pediatric Practice

Dear Colleagues,

The Pediatric Residency of the University of Washington is excited to announce our search for a new pediatric practice in the WWAMI region. Please consider joining with us in the primary care education of second year pediatric residents! The pediatric WWAMI rotation (more information) has been part of our residency education for over 50 years. This is the first opportunity for a new regional practice to join since 2010!

The new practice will join existing sites in Port Angeles, Yakima, Bellingham, Pocatello, and Missoula as part of a nationally honored educational program that allows residents to gain a true understanding of the joy and the complexity of pediatric primary care practiced outside of a major city and outside of a tertiary care setting. Each pediatric practice in the program hosts a 2nd year pediatric resident in their practice for a two-month rotation every two months throughout the year.

With year-round presence of the residents, practices have been able to incorporate residents as fully functioning partners in the practice – seeing patients in clinic, in the hospital, and taking call, all at rates similar to that of existing partners. The financial aspects of the agreement are spelled out in the application but in simplest terms, practices have always felt this was at least a break-even experience monetarily with teaching, learning and mentoring benefits that go well beyond.

If your site is interested in being considered, please complete the application by December 15th. If you would like additional information or to learn more, please reach out to Richard Shugerman.

We've had a lot of new staff join the WCAAP! Below is an updated staff directory (with photos!) our respective roles, and email addresses.

Sarah Rafton, MSW

srafton@wcaap.org

Executive Director Organizational strategy, community partnerships and operations

Board and Executive Committee, multiple WCAAP committees

Kailani Amine, MHA

kamine@wcaap.org

Director

Grant Oversight, Contract Management

Early Childhood Programs

Early Childhood Committee

Sarah Nau, MSW

snau@wcaap.org

Communications Director

Internal and external communications, media relations and PR requests, Legislative and Membership Committee

Elexis Jackson

ejackson@wcaap.org

Administrative Coordinator

Operational and Board support, GATHER, Equity Committee and Legislative, Membership, and Transformation Committee support

Ali Goodyear, MPH

agoodyear@wcaap.org

Program Manager

Community Health Worker Learning Collaborative

Marina Martinez

mmartinez@wcaap.org

Program Manager

WA-CHIP

Immunization Learning Collaborative

Vaccine Committee

Colleen McCarty, MPH

cmccarty@wcaap.org

Program Manager

Parent Involvement

Champions for Youth

Local Health Jurisdiction Programs

DeAnna Dudley Pittenger, BSN, RN-CPN

ddudley@wcaap.org

Program Manager

Special Projects HPV Immunization Learning Collaborative

Leslie Graham, MSW, LICSW

lgraham@wcaap.org

Program Manager

Special Projects

Behavioral Health Learning Network

Community Health Worker Learning Collaborative

Michelle Tolman, MPH

mtolman@wcaap.org

Data Manager

Amber Ulvenes

aulvenes@wcaap.org

Legislative Liaison

Join us! Committees are a great way to meet other members and get involved with Chapter work. Watch this space for upcoming meeting dates and times for Chapter committees and interest groups. Most committees meet by phone or via Zoom for one hour, and we welcome anyone who is interested.

Legislative Affairs Committee

Next meeting December 6th, 7:00-8:00am

Meets weekly via Zoom during the legislative session

Meets monthly via Zoom during the interim + ad hoc as needed

Contact Elexis Jackson for meeting info.

Contact Crystal Shen to learn more about the committee. 

Early Childhood Committee 

Next meeting January 2024

Meets every other month via Zoom

Contact Kailani Amine for meeting info.

Contact Mary Ann Woodruff or Emily Ferrell to learn about the committee.

First Year Families Committee

Next Meeting December 15th, 1:00-2:30pm

Meets monthly via Zoom

Contact Kailani Amine for meeting details and Committee information.

Vaccine Committee

Next Meeting November 17th, 7:00-8:00am

Meets monthly via Zoom

Contact Marina Martinez for meeting info.

Contact John Dunn, Frank Bell, or Maria Huang to learn about the committee. 



Champions for Youth Committee

Next Meeting: CfY in Person Summit on November 29th, 8:45am - 2:00pm

Meets monthly via Zoom

Contact Colleen McCarty for meeting details and Committee information.

Membership Engagement Committee 

Contact Sarah Nau for meeting info.

Contact Amanda Monnahan or Cora Breuner to learn about the committee.  

Health Care Transformation Committee 

Next Meeting December 22nd, 7:30-8:30am

Meets monthly via Zoom

Contact Elexis Jackson for meeting info.

Contact Rick Levine or Sarah Rafton to learn about the committee.