As MNAAP pushes for legislation to restore Minnesota's newborn screening program, we are looking for pediatricians to share their concerns and stories about the importance of preserving newborn blood spots and test results.
Please take a moment to indicate whether you would be willing to contact your legislator, submit a short letter to the editor or participate in other activities to help support the passage of newborn screening legislation.
On Sept. 1, 2014, changes to the Minnesota's Immunization Law will take effect for schools, child care, and early childhood programs. The new requirements pertain to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Tdap and Meningitis
Children can't vote, and there are no pediatricians in our state legislature, which is why more than 100 pediatric residents and community pediatricians gather at the Capitol each year, attracting the attention of key legislators. They need to hear from those of us working on the front lines about which child health issues should take precedent.
To main certification, most pediatricians need to participate in a quality improvement project that has been approved by the American Board of Pediatrics every four years. As a member benefit, MNAAP has developed a menu of programs to make this requirement as fast and straightforward as possible. Each program has been discounted to $99 for chapter members and can be completed in just six months.
The plan includes a public awareness campaign geared toward families of adolescents, a direct mailing with vaccination reminders and education opportunities for health care providers. As a result of these and other activities, pediatricians may be getting more questions from parents about the HPV vaccine in the coming months. MNAAP received a grant from AAP to support MDH's efforts. Watch for more updates coming soon. For more information, contact cairns@mnaap.org
MDH HPV vaccine page
CDC HPV vaccine page
MNAAP immunization page
Each year MNAAP honors those who are leading efforts to protect the health of Minnesota's children. Award winners will be recognized at MNAAP's annual meeting on Friday, June 13, 2014. Nominations are being saught for the 2014 Child Advocacy Award and 2014 Distinguished Service Award
AAP will providing funding for a 1-2 night hotel stay, airfare and ground transportation for members to attend advocacy training on major global health issues affecting children with an emphasis on immunizations. The day will also consist of Congressional Hill visits.
Indicate your interest by Feb. 24, 2014.
Do you know of a child with a condition of the bones, muscles or joints who would benefit from the specialized care of a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon? Shriners offers complimentary screeings and second opinions.
The 2014 Advocacy Training Grants call for applications opened January 8. The Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI) will support four pediatric faculty-resident pairs to attend the AAP 2014 Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, and then implement an educational advocacy activity in collaboration with their local AAP chapter. Applications are due by February 19.
Interested in leadership opportunities in a particular area of pediatrics? Consider representing our region on a national committee of AAP. Detailed information and application procedures are available on the AAP website. Note that the deadline for committee member nominations is February 24, 2014. Please contact cairns@mnaap.org for a letter of support from the chapter to accompany your application.
AAP has reappointed Anne Edwards, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician who lives and works in Minneapolis, to chair its national Committee on State Government Affairs (COSGA) for a 1-year period effective July 1, 2014.
COSGA coordinates all state legislative and regulatory issues of pediatric concern and assists AAP chapters with the development of their state legislative committees and activities. A long-standing advocate for children and teens, Dr. Edwards also chairs the policy committee for the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP) and has testified on numerous child and teen health issues over the years.
Vaccination remains the most important step in protecting against influenza.
Helpful resources:
- AAP Policy Statement: "Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2013-2014"
- AAP Red Book Online Influenza Resource
