From the Desk of Your NDAAP,
This Web Page and the Facebook page for the NDAAP, are two ways that your NDAAP has attempted to improve communication across the State of North Dakota. We welcome any input you may have to improve this website and the FB page.
Links to the NDAAP Quarterly Newsletter may be found here.
This Web Page and the Facebook page for the NDAAP, are two ways that your NDAAP has attempted to improve communication across the State of North Dakota. We welcome any input you may have to improve this website and the FB page.
Links to the NDAAP Quarterly Newsletter may be found here.
February 28, 2019
Register now for the 2019 NDAAP Spring Conference (May 7) to be held in conjunction with the Red River Children's Advocacy Conference (May 8-9). Download the flyer and forms by clicking here. There is no registration fee and everyone is welcome to attend. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 25, 2019.
Register now for the 2019 NDAAP Spring Conference (May 7) to be held in conjunction with the Red River Children's Advocacy Conference (May 8-9). Download the flyer and forms by clicking here. There is no registration fee and everyone is welcome to attend. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 25, 2019.
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June 24, 2018
CATCH Funding for Pediatrician-Led Projects to Improve Children's Health
Up to $10,000 is available to pediatricians and $2,000 available to pediatric residents to plan community-based child health initiatives that address a range of topics: foster care, telemedicine, obesity, addiction, teenage pregnancy, oral health, mental health, and other topics. For more information, visit: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/commpeds/catch/Pages/CATCH-Grants.aspx.
Our catch grant facilitator is Dr. Brenda Thurlow.
If there is anything Barbara Bentz, NDAAP President, can do to help you with your interest in a grant please contact her at brbr.bntz@gmail.com.
CATCH Funding for Pediatrician-Led Projects to Improve Children's Health
Up to $10,000 is available to pediatricians and $2,000 available to pediatric residents to plan community-based child health initiatives that address a range of topics: foster care, telemedicine, obesity, addiction, teenage pregnancy, oral health, mental health, and other topics. For more information, visit: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/commpeds/catch/Pages/CATCH-Grants.aspx.
Our catch grant facilitator is Dr. Brenda Thurlow.
If there is anything Barbara Bentz, NDAAP President, can do to help you with your interest in a grant please contact her at brbr.bntz@gmail.com.
May 14, 2018
Federal Legislative Update
Rapid rundown:
Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new policy that will forcibly separate children and parents at the border, a practice that the Administration had already been carrying out for months as a way to deter families from migrating to the United States.
The Academy strongly opposed the policy with this press statement. This AAP News article has more.
"Separating children from their parents contradicts everything we stand for as pediatricians - protecting and promoting children's health," said AAP President Colleen Kraft, MD, MBA, FAAP. AAP cites the irreparable harm that stressful experiences, such as family separation, can cause children, disrupting a child's brain architecture and affecting his or her short- and long-term health.
Last week, Dr. Kraft was published in the Los Angeles Times, recounting her recent trip to the border and how family separation is already impacting children. The Academy also led a day of action, joining with other national advocacy, health and medical groups to amplify this message.
AAP members urged their federal legislators to oppose the practice. They shared messages on social media using #ProtectFamilies, and some members of Congress also chimed in to show their support.
The Academy will continue to speak out and urge DHS to immediately reverse this harmful policy. Advocacy opportunity: To urge your members of Congress to oppose this policy and tell DHS to end it immediately, please visit the AAP's federal advocacy website.
AAP Leads More Than 500 Groups in Opposing Cuts to CHIP Funding
On Tuesday, President Trump submitted a $15.4 billion package of proposed rescissions to lawmakers from the federal budget. Rescissions are a procedure that allows the president to request that Congress reduce previously appropriated funds. Among the proposed rescissions are $7 billion in Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds, including $2 billion from the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund, which provides payments to states if they experience an unexpected surge in enrollment due to a natural disaster, an economic recession, or a public health crisis. The White House also proposes to rescind $5 billion from the Children's Health Insurance Fund.
The AAP led a letter with 511 signatories opposing these cuts and urging Congress to reject them. The letter includes national, state, and local organizations from 47 states, including providers, patient groups, advocacy organizations, hospitals, and academia.
The president has indicated that he intends to submit at least one more rescissions package to Congress, which will target discretionary programs from the fiscal year (FY) 2018 omnibus. The AAP is continuing to urge Congress to stand by their budget agreement and reject these proposed recessions.
State Waiver Updates
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved New Hampshire's request to require work or employment activities as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. New Hampshire is the fourth state to be granted approval for establishing work requirements in the Medicaid program, following Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas.
CMS also sent a letter to Kansas rejecting the state's request to impose lifetime limits in the Medicaid program, which would have capped a person's eligibility at three years, after which they could no longer be covered by the program. CMS declined to rule on Kansas' request to impose work requirements, citing that Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid, must provide a plan to support the proposal that "would describe an approach that works for Kansans." So far, the four states that have been approved to implement work requirements are all Medicaid expansion states.
In March, the AAP led a letter expressing serious concerns over proposed changes to Medicaid's Section 1115 waiver policy, which could lead to thousands of children and families losing critical access to care. The AAP remains in ongoing contact with state chapters as waivers and state legislation are proposed to offer technical assistance and guidance.
Child Health Bills on the Move
Name: Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act of 2018 (H.R. 5333)
Status: Passed the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on Wednesday
What it does: Makes changes to the over-the-counter (OTC) drug approval process. The current process for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to update OTC monographs is cumbersome and complex, making it hard for FDA to keep up with scientific developments, address safety concerns, and accommodate innovation. Much of the pediatric drug labeling included in the OTC monograph was based on evidence that no longer meets today's standards for safety and efficacy or was based on incorrect assumptions about how adult data should inform the labeling of drugs in children.
More information: AAP has long advocated for changes to this process and was heavily involved in the crafting of this legislation. AAP hopes to see action from the full House and Senate later this year.
Name: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill (H.R. 2)
Status: The House plans to vote on its Farm Bill next week.
What it does: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is reauthorized through the Farm Bill every five years. The House Farm Bill makes changes to SNAP that would cause many children and families to lose benefits. Official estimates found that the bill would reduce SNAP's caseload by about 1.2 million people in an average month and would cause hundreds of thousands of children to lose access to free school meals.
More information: For more information about the bill and for ways to voice your opposition to your member of Congress, please visit the AAP Advocacy Action Center.
What We're Reading
When CHIP was funded for 10 years, we cried "CHIP, CHIP! Hooray!"
With the White House rescissions, we hang our heads in dismay
Taking back needed money for children's health care?
Pediatricians led others to say "don't you dare"
CHIP works for 9 million kids & their families; what's more
They've already faced uncertainty like never before:
CHIP funding expired for 10 months earlier this year
Leaving millions of families plagued with anxiety and fear
They deserve to breathe easy, not be once again stressed
Until CHIP's future is certain, child advocates won't rest!
Federal Legislative Update
Rapid rundown:
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new policy that will forcibly separate children and parents at the border. The AAP's statement opposing the policy here and more here.
- President Trump sent a request to Congress to rescind $15 billion of funds previously allocated by Congress and signed into law, including $7 billion dollars from the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). More here, including the AAP's response.
- State Waiver Updates
- Child Health Bills on the Move
- What We're Reading
- This Week in Washington: Rhyming Recap
Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new policy that will forcibly separate children and parents at the border, a practice that the Administration had already been carrying out for months as a way to deter families from migrating to the United States.
The Academy strongly opposed the policy with this press statement. This AAP News article has more.
"Separating children from their parents contradicts everything we stand for as pediatricians - protecting and promoting children's health," said AAP President Colleen Kraft, MD, MBA, FAAP. AAP cites the irreparable harm that stressful experiences, such as family separation, can cause children, disrupting a child's brain architecture and affecting his or her short- and long-term health.
Last week, Dr. Kraft was published in the Los Angeles Times, recounting her recent trip to the border and how family separation is already impacting children. The Academy also led a day of action, joining with other national advocacy, health and medical groups to amplify this message.
AAP members urged their federal legislators to oppose the practice. They shared messages on social media using #ProtectFamilies, and some members of Congress also chimed in to show their support.
The Academy will continue to speak out and urge DHS to immediately reverse this harmful policy. Advocacy opportunity: To urge your members of Congress to oppose this policy and tell DHS to end it immediately, please visit the AAP's federal advocacy website.
AAP Leads More Than 500 Groups in Opposing Cuts to CHIP Funding
On Tuesday, President Trump submitted a $15.4 billion package of proposed rescissions to lawmakers from the federal budget. Rescissions are a procedure that allows the president to request that Congress reduce previously appropriated funds. Among the proposed rescissions are $7 billion in Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds, including $2 billion from the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund, which provides payments to states if they experience an unexpected surge in enrollment due to a natural disaster, an economic recession, or a public health crisis. The White House also proposes to rescind $5 billion from the Children's Health Insurance Fund.
The AAP led a letter with 511 signatories opposing these cuts and urging Congress to reject them. The letter includes national, state, and local organizations from 47 states, including providers, patient groups, advocacy organizations, hospitals, and academia.
The president has indicated that he intends to submit at least one more rescissions package to Congress, which will target discretionary programs from the fiscal year (FY) 2018 omnibus. The AAP is continuing to urge Congress to stand by their budget agreement and reject these proposed recessions.
State Waiver Updates
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved New Hampshire's request to require work or employment activities as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. New Hampshire is the fourth state to be granted approval for establishing work requirements in the Medicaid program, following Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas.
CMS also sent a letter to Kansas rejecting the state's request to impose lifetime limits in the Medicaid program, which would have capped a person's eligibility at three years, after which they could no longer be covered by the program. CMS declined to rule on Kansas' request to impose work requirements, citing that Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid, must provide a plan to support the proposal that "would describe an approach that works for Kansans." So far, the four states that have been approved to implement work requirements are all Medicaid expansion states.
In March, the AAP led a letter expressing serious concerns over proposed changes to Medicaid's Section 1115 waiver policy, which could lead to thousands of children and families losing critical access to care. The AAP remains in ongoing contact with state chapters as waivers and state legislation are proposed to offer technical assistance and guidance.
Child Health Bills on the Move
Name: Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act of 2018 (H.R. 5333)
Status: Passed the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on Wednesday
What it does: Makes changes to the over-the-counter (OTC) drug approval process. The current process for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to update OTC monographs is cumbersome and complex, making it hard for FDA to keep up with scientific developments, address safety concerns, and accommodate innovation. Much of the pediatric drug labeling included in the OTC monograph was based on evidence that no longer meets today's standards for safety and efficacy or was based on incorrect assumptions about how adult data should inform the labeling of drugs in children.
More information: AAP has long advocated for changes to this process and was heavily involved in the crafting of this legislation. AAP hopes to see action from the full House and Senate later this year.
Name: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill (H.R. 2)
Status: The House plans to vote on its Farm Bill next week.
What it does: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is reauthorized through the Farm Bill every five years. The House Farm Bill makes changes to SNAP that would cause many children and families to lose benefits. Official estimates found that the bill would reduce SNAP's caseload by about 1.2 million people in an average month and would cause hundreds of thousands of children to lose access to free school meals.
More information: For more information about the bill and for ways to voice your opposition to your member of Congress, please visit the AAP Advocacy Action Center.
What We're Reading
- An op-ed from Valerie Borum Smith, MD, FAAP, in the Dallas Morning News, "Texas must take advantage of federal funds to keep kids out of foster care"
- A piece from NPR and an editorial from the Washington Post on how a leaked proposal would impact immigrant families and children
- An article from the New Yorker, "The promise of vaping and the rise of JUUL"
- A column from Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, FAAP, "Hungry children can't learn and act out"
- An op-ed from Deanna Behrens, MD, FAAP, in the Chicago Sun-Times, "Shoes for an unborn child, a toddler, a teenager - for my patients lost to guns"
- An op-ed from residents Lisa Gantz, MD, Julia Rosenberg, MD, and Sindhu Sudanagunta, MD, "Thousands of unaccompanied kids are still being caught at the border. They need help"
When CHIP was funded for 10 years, we cried "CHIP, CHIP! Hooray!"
With the White House rescissions, we hang our heads in dismay
Taking back needed money for children's health care?
Pediatricians led others to say "don't you dare"
CHIP works for 9 million kids & their families; what's more
They've already faced uncertainty like never before:
CHIP funding expired for 10 months earlier this year
Leaving millions of families plagued with anxiety and fear
They deserve to breathe easy, not be once again stressed
Until CHIP's future is certain, child advocates won't rest!
May 7, 2018
Here is North Dakota's HPV–associated cancer burden in addition to distribution data for all CDC and non-CDC distributed Gardasil 9 vaccines for 2017. Here is the December 2017 HPV vaccination report. The December report highlights HPV vaccination coverage estimates for North Dakota from the 2016 National Immunization Survey-Teen. More HPV-related material and resources can be found on our HPV Portal, https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/index.html. For more information on HPV-associated cancers, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/index.htm.
Here is North Dakota's HPV–associated cancer burden in addition to distribution data for all CDC and non-CDC distributed Gardasil 9 vaccines for 2017. Here is the December 2017 HPV vaccination report. The December report highlights HPV vaccination coverage estimates for North Dakota from the 2016 National Immunization Survey-Teen. More HPV-related material and resources can be found on our HPV Portal, https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/index.html. For more information on HPV-associated cancers, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/index.htm.
Register for the Parent Webinar by clicking HERE.
May 1, 2018
This Friday, May 4, the Academy is leading a day of action to oppose the separation of immigrant children and parents at the border.
Please join us.
The Issue
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been implementing an informal policy of forcibly separating children from their parents as they cross the U.S. southern border as a way to deter families from seeking asylum in the United States.
The New York Times estimates that nearly 700 children have been separated since October, including 100 who are under the age of four. The Washington Post issued a strong editorial opposing the policy as did CNN.
AAP's Actions
The AAP is opposed to this policy. Prolonged exposure to serious stress - known as toxic stress - can harm children's developing brains and their short- and long-term health.
The Academy has written the DHS Secretary on at least five occasions opposing the separation of parents and children. Our latest letter can be found here. We have also joined more than 200 child welfare, juvenile justice and child development organizations in demanding that the current administration abandon this ill-conceived policy.
On Friday, May 4, a San Diego federal court judge will hear directly from lawyers representing parents who have been separated from their children and often unable to make regular contact with them as they are kept apart in federal custody. Several pediatricians submitted affidavits in this case, challenging the government's actions and sharing their own perspectives on the toll such separation takes on children.
How You Can Help:
We need to send a clear message to Congress to put an end to this policy, and we need you to help us do it.
Here's how. On Friday, May 4:
- Call your federal legislators and urge them to oppose any policy that separates children from their parents at the border. Urge them to tell DHS to immediately end this policy once and for all.
- Share messages on social media using #ProtectFamilies to help explain the toll such a policy takes on child health.
We are also leading efforts to engage national advocacy, health and medical groups to join us. By concentrating our voices on one day, we hope to draw Congress' attention on the urgent need to act to protect these children and their families. Stay tuned for more information and in the meantime, please spread the word!
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
New Adolescent Vaccinations and Wellness Grant Program for AAP Chapters
Don't miss this grant opportunity, supported by Merck, that will provide six chapters $21,500 each to increase adolescent immunization rates! View the RFP, application and learn more on the Block Grants page. Submit applications by May 31 to Jonathan Faletti, Manager, Chapter Programs.
Leonard P. Rome CATCH Visiting Professorship Program Call for Proposals
Chapters are encouraged to share the Leonard P. Rome CATCH Visiting Professorship Program guidelines and application. The program supports up to 6 accredited pediatric residency programs, with up to $4,500 each, to implement two-day or three-day programs focusing on resident education, faculty development and building partnerships for community health and advocacy. The application deadline is May 16. Find more information here or contact Jeanine Donnelly, Manager, Community Pediatrics Training Initiative.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program® Research Grant and Young Investigator Award
Intent applications are due by May 18 for both the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Research Grant and Young Investigator Award. To support research that furthers knowledge in neonatal resuscitation, the NRP Research grant funds up to $50,000 and the Young Investigator Award funds up to $15,000. For more information, contact Felicie Anderson-Wilson, Life Support Assistant.
Union Pacific Foundation: Community Ties Giving Program
The Community Ties Giving Program provides grants ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 to nonprofit organizations that address several categories, which includes local needs in the communities served by the Union Pacific Railroad. First complete the eligibility survey; if eligible, you'll receive the application which needs to be submitted by June 1.
Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation
Supporting nonprofit organizations in the northeastern US, the Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation's grant categories include medical programs and scientific research. Access the application guidelines and apply by June 1.
April 20, 2018
Great conference today! Check out the links in the "Past Conferences" to get the handouts and view the presentations (will be posted soon).
Great conference today! Check out the links in the "Past Conferences" to get the handouts and view the presentations (will be posted soon).
April 10, 2018
Tomorrow morning, more than 350 pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, pediatric surgical specialists, and pediatric trainees will be on Capitol Hill as part of the AAP's Legislative Conference.
This year, leaders from the Academy's chapters, committees, councils and sections will participate alongside conference attendees to send a strong message to Congress: pass comprehensive legislation to protect children from gun violence.
Tomorrow we will have more AAP members on Capitol Hill than ever before, from first-time advocates to seasoned experts. All 50 states will be represented, as well as DC and Puerto Rico.
We will be telling our members of Congress to do three things:
We hope you can join us virtually and amplify our efforts beyond the nation's capital.
Here are two ways to add your voice tomorrow:
DC Office Phone Numbers
Sen. John Hoeven (R) (202) 224-2551
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) (202) 224-2043
Rep. Kevin Cramer (R) (202) 225-2611
Talking Points
Thank you for joining our efforts tomorrow and for your ongoing advocacy to protect children from gun violence. The more voices we have coming together at once, the stronger our overall message!
Tomorrow morning, more than 350 pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, pediatric surgical specialists, and pediatric trainees will be on Capitol Hill as part of the AAP's Legislative Conference.
This year, leaders from the Academy's chapters, committees, councils and sections will participate alongside conference attendees to send a strong message to Congress: pass comprehensive legislation to protect children from gun violence.
Tomorrow we will have more AAP members on Capitol Hill than ever before, from first-time advocates to seasoned experts. All 50 states will be represented, as well as DC and Puerto Rico.
We will be telling our members of Congress to do three things:
- Provide $50 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for Fiscal Year 2019 to conduct public health research into firearm safety and injury prevention;
- Support a minimum purchase age of 21 for semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; and
- Ultimately support a ban on semiautomatic assault weapons.
We hope you can join us virtually and amplify our efforts beyond the nation's capital.
Here are two ways to add your voice tomorrow:
- Call your members of Congress: The DC office phone numbers for your federal legislators are included below as well as talking points to guide your outreach. You can also contact them via email here.
- Share messages on social media: Use #EndGunViolence to join our efforts on social media. Here are lists for Senate and House member Twitter handles. Sample tweets below:
- .{Insert Elected Official's Twitter Handle}, I am a pediatrician in {City}, {State}, and I see the toll gun violence takes on our community. Gun violence is a public health threat to {state}'s children. Please pass gun safety legislation and fund federal research to help #EndGunViolence now.
- .{Insert Elected Official's Twitter Handle}, I am a pediatrician in {City}, {State}. I support children and teens who are speaking out to #EndGunViolence, and so does @AmerAcadPeds. Please act to keep children safe where they live, learn and play: https://youtu.be/b_skjkaGQQ0
DC Office Phone Numbers
Sen. John Hoeven (R) (202) 224-2551
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) (202) 224-2043
Rep. Kevin Cramer (R) (202) 225-2611
Talking Points
- Hello. My name is {insert name} and I am a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Today, I am joining other pediatricians from {insert state} who are on Capitol Hill today to advocate for comprehensive gun violence prevention policies.
- All children deserve to be safe where they live, learn and play.
- Gun violence threatens children's health. It is a pervasive problem that impacts every community. Every day, 74 U.S. children are injured or killed by guns.
- The impact of federal public health research in reducing deaths from threats such as car accidents, smoking, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has been well proven. A 1996 amendment from Congress created a chilling effect on public health research into gun violence prevention, and there is a lot we could study to help save children's lives.
- That is why we urge you to provide the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with $50 million for Fiscal Year 2019 to enable the best science and evidence to inform a public health approach that will protect children from gun violence.
- Right now, there is legislation {Senator's name/Representative's name} can support that would make important progress toward protecting children from gun violence: The Age 21 Act and the Assault Weapons Ban of 2017.
- The Assault Weapons Ban of 2017 (S. 2095 and H.R. 5077/H.R. 5087) would ban many semiautomatic assault weapons, including the one used in the recent mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. The bill would also ban so-called "bump stocks" that enable semi-automatic weapons to engage in automatic fire, like those used in the 2017 attack in Las Vegas. You can find a list of co-sponsors here to see if your Senator already supports the bill.
- The Age 21 Act (S. 2470) would raise the minimum age for purchasing assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to 21, from the current age requirement of 18. This would harmonize the minimum purchase age with that already in effect for handguns. You can find a list of co-sponsors here to see if your Senator already supports the bill.
- I urge {Senator's name/Representative's name} to please consider co-sponsoring these bills, and to support providing $50 million to fund CDC research into preventing gun violence. It will take policies like these, working together, to protect children from gun violence.
- Thank you for all you do for children in our state and across the country.
Thank you for joining our efforts tomorrow and for your ongoing advocacy to protect children from gun violence. The more voices we have coming together at once, the stronger our overall message!
November 8, 2017
Antibiotic Awareness Week is November 13th-19th
The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) will observe Antibiotic Awareness Week from November 13th through November 19th. The purpose of Antibiotic Awareness Week is to raise awareness about the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use.
Young children receive more antibiotics than any other age group, with more than 1 in 5 pediatric ambulatory visits resulting in an antibiotic prescription. This accounts for nearly 50 million antibiotic prescriptions per year. It is estimated that 10 million of these prescriptions are for respiratory conditions, of which antibiotics are unlikely to provide any benefit. This overuse of antibiotics is contributing to a growing crisis in infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotics are also the leading cause of emergency department visits for adverse drug events among children and adolescents.
As part of the NDDoH’s efforts to improve antibiotic stewardship in the state during Antibiotic Awareness Week, they are using multiple venues to help educate the public on the appropriate use of antibiotics. They would also like to make NDAAP members aware of resources that are available online (linked below) for physicians and other health care providers. Several of these resources, such as over-the-counter “prescription pads”, office posters on safe antibiotic use, and patient education handouts have been shown to help curtail inappropriate patient/parent expectations regarding antibiotics.
For more information about Antibiotic Awareness Week and to learn more about how you can participate, please click here.
Antibiotic Awareness Week is November 13th-19th
The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) will observe Antibiotic Awareness Week from November 13th through November 19th. The purpose of Antibiotic Awareness Week is to raise awareness about the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use.
Young children receive more antibiotics than any other age group, with more than 1 in 5 pediatric ambulatory visits resulting in an antibiotic prescription. This accounts for nearly 50 million antibiotic prescriptions per year. It is estimated that 10 million of these prescriptions are for respiratory conditions, of which antibiotics are unlikely to provide any benefit. This overuse of antibiotics is contributing to a growing crisis in infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotics are also the leading cause of emergency department visits for adverse drug events among children and adolescents.
As part of the NDDoH’s efforts to improve antibiotic stewardship in the state during Antibiotic Awareness Week, they are using multiple venues to help educate the public on the appropriate use of antibiotics. They would also like to make NDAAP members aware of resources that are available online (linked below) for physicians and other health care providers. Several of these resources, such as over-the-counter “prescription pads”, office posters on safe antibiotic use, and patient education handouts have been shown to help curtail inappropriate patient/parent expectations regarding antibiotics.
- Antibiotics: Do they help or do they harm? – Multiple Patient/Family Handouts on Antibiotic Use
- Cold vs. Flu Symptoms – Poster
- Viruses or Bacteria: What’s got you sick? – Poster
- Over-the-counter “prescription pads” for patients with viral infections
- The ABCs of Antibiotics for consumers and healthcare professionals
- Return to Day Care Letter
- North Dakota Department of Health Resources
- Print Materials from CDC
For more information about Antibiotic Awareness Week and to learn more about how you can participate, please click here.
October 17, 2017
Registration is Open! Attend the 2018 AAP Legislative Conference
Registration for the 2018 AAP Legislative Conference is officially open! The conference will take place April 8 – 10, in Washington, DC.
Each year, the conference brings together pediatricians, residents and medical students from across the country who share a passion for child health advocacy. Participants attend skills-building workshops, hear from guest speakers, learn about policy priorities impacting children and pediatricians and go to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to support strong child health policies. In addition, the conference will feature a Pediatric Subspecialty Advocacy Track offering specific legislative and skills building workshops uniquely focused on the interests and needs of pediatric medical subspecialists and surgical specialists.
Visit aap.org/legcon for more information and how to register.
Contact your NDAAP, if you are interested in representing us at this Conference, and register early, space is limited.
Registration is Open! Attend the 2018 AAP Legislative Conference
Registration for the 2018 AAP Legislative Conference is officially open! The conference will take place April 8 – 10, in Washington, DC.
Each year, the conference brings together pediatricians, residents and medical students from across the country who share a passion for child health advocacy. Participants attend skills-building workshops, hear from guest speakers, learn about policy priorities impacting children and pediatricians and go to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to support strong child health policies. In addition, the conference will feature a Pediatric Subspecialty Advocacy Track offering specific legislative and skills building workshops uniquely focused on the interests and needs of pediatric medical subspecialists and surgical specialists.
Visit aap.org/legcon for more information and how to register.
Contact your NDAAP, if you are interested in representing us at this Conference, and register early, space is limited.
July 25, 2017
Dear Fellow Child Advocates,
The U.S. Senate has voted to begin debate on health care legislation. Having cleared this procedural hurdle, senators are one step closer to advancing policies that could be detrimental to children and families across the country.
A vote on the final health care bill is expected in the Senate by the end of this week.
Tell your U.S. senators to vote NO on any legislation that would cut Medicaid and jeopardize health care coverage for children and families.
This afternoon's vote margin was razor-thin, requiring Vice President Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote allowing debate to begin. Because of your efforts and your strong advocacy, even voting to start the process was difficult.
As the Senate now votes on substantive policy, there are a few options for how the Senate could proceed this week:
We must redouble our efforts. The health of millions of children and families is at stake. Any bill that leaves more people uninsured, makes health insurance less affordable, jeopardizes Medicaid or eliminates important benefits and protections fails our children.
No matter how the Senate moves forward, children's coverage must be protected. The Better Care Reconciliation Act would make devastating cuts to Medicaid and roll back benefits that make coverage affordable, comprehensive and accessible to children and families. A repeal of the ACA in any form would destabilize the insurance markets, cause people to lose coverage, and do away with hard-fought protections that have helped millions of children and families access the care they need.
Please call your U.S. senators and urge them to vote NO on any legislation that would jeopardize health care coverage for children and families.
If you have U.S. senators, their names and DC office contact information will be included below, along with talking points to guide your calls. A Senate directory with phone numbers can also be found here.
Sen. John Hoeven (R) (202) 224-2551
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) (202) 224-2043
Talking points
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 NW Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007 - 847-434-4000
Dear Fellow Child Advocates,
The U.S. Senate has voted to begin debate on health care legislation. Having cleared this procedural hurdle, senators are one step closer to advancing policies that could be detrimental to children and families across the country.
A vote on the final health care bill is expected in the Senate by the end of this week.
Tell your U.S. senators to vote NO on any legislation that would cut Medicaid and jeopardize health care coverage for children and families.
This afternoon's vote margin was razor-thin, requiring Vice President Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote allowing debate to begin. Because of your efforts and your strong advocacy, even voting to start the process was difficult.
As the Senate now votes on substantive policy, there are a few options for how the Senate could proceed this week:
- Pass a version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act, the AAP-opposed Senate healthcare bill.
- Pass a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act with a two-year delay.
- Pass a more limited ACA repeal bill. The text has not yet been released, but this bill is rumored to repeal the ACA's individual mandate requiring people to have insurance, the employer mandate, and medical device taxes.
We must redouble our efforts. The health of millions of children and families is at stake. Any bill that leaves more people uninsured, makes health insurance less affordable, jeopardizes Medicaid or eliminates important benefits and protections fails our children.
No matter how the Senate moves forward, children's coverage must be protected. The Better Care Reconciliation Act would make devastating cuts to Medicaid and roll back benefits that make coverage affordable, comprehensive and accessible to children and families. A repeal of the ACA in any form would destabilize the insurance markets, cause people to lose coverage, and do away with hard-fought protections that have helped millions of children and families access the care they need.
Please call your U.S. senators and urge them to vote NO on any legislation that would jeopardize health care coverage for children and families.
If you have U.S. senators, their names and DC office contact information will be included below, along with talking points to guide your calls. A Senate directory with phone numbers can also be found here.
Sen. John Hoeven (R) (202) 224-2551
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) (202) 224-2043
Talking points
- As a pediatrician, pediatric medical subspecialist or surgical specialist in your state, I am calling to urge you to vote "no" on any legislation that jeopardizes health care coverage for children and families.
- Medicaid covers children from low-income families and children with special health care needs, including {insert number of children on Medicaid from your state fact sheet}. Any legislation that jeopardizes Medicaid fails children.
- Through Medicaid, children are guaranteed benefits that cover a comprehensive array of medically necessary services, including developmental, vision and hearing screenings. Pediatricians recommend these services because they help diagnose, treat and prevent complex conditions right away, saving money and lives. Capping Medicaid funding means these services could be rolled back or eliminated altogether.
- Any bill that would leave more families uninsured, or without insurance they can afford or that meets their basic needs, is unacceptable.
- Right now, 95% of children in the United States have health care coverage. I urge you to reject any policies or legislation that would tear down this historic progress.
- Please preserve the ACA's consumer protections so many children benefit from in public and private coverage, like guaranteeing affordable and comprehensive coverage for children with pre-existing conditions, and banning caps on lifetime coverage, and keeping in place caps on annual coverage so insurance works for those who need it most.
- I urge you to reject any policies or legislation that would leave more families uninsured. I also urge you to shift to a bipartisan and transparent process to develop consensus on improvements to current law that would close gaps in coverage for children and families.
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 NW Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007 - 847-434-4000
July 19, 2017
June 23, 2017
Grateful for Tidal Waves of
Calls, Emails, Tweets and Letters to Protect Medicaid
Over the past week, hundreds of AAP members, including North Dakota, have called or emailed U.S. senators, urging them to protect children from cuts and caps to Medicaid. On social media, AAP joined forces with other organizations to generate a flurry of action with thousands of tweets using #KeepKidsCovered and #DontCapMyCare, prompting senators themselves to join in on the conversation. And across the country, more than two dozen letters to the editor were published, including one in North Dakota:
· http://staging.inforum.com/users/barbara-bentz
Your advocates from the NDAAP,
Barbara A Bentz, MD FAAP, Pres
Kathy Anderson MD FAAP, VP
Tracie Newman MD FAAP, Treasurer
Joan Connell MD FAAP, Past President
The AAP is trying to calculate how many people contacted their senators. Please complete the following survey specific to North Dakota: https://und.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4T0X7A29sEceVsp
June 23, 2017
Grateful for Tidal Waves of
Calls, Emails, Tweets and Letters to Protect Medicaid
Over the past week, hundreds of AAP members, including North Dakota, have called or emailed U.S. senators, urging them to protect children from cuts and caps to Medicaid. On social media, AAP joined forces with other organizations to generate a flurry of action with thousands of tweets using #KeepKidsCovered and #DontCapMyCare, prompting senators themselves to join in on the conversation. And across the country, more than two dozen letters to the editor were published, including one in North Dakota:
· http://staging.inforum.com/users/barbara-bentz
- June 16, 2017
Your advocates from the NDAAP,
Barbara A Bentz, MD FAAP, Pres
Kathy Anderson MD FAAP, VP
Tracie Newman MD FAAP, Treasurer
Joan Connell MD FAAP, Past President
The AAP is trying to calculate how many people contacted their senators. Please complete the following survey specific to North Dakota: https://und.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4T0X7A29sEceVsp
June 13, 2017
Join in Sending One Message to the Senate: Protect Medicaid June 15 and June 22
The Senate version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) could be introduced any day and passed as early as the Fourth of July.
Please join AAP members across the country in flooding the phone lines and inboxes of U.S. Senators, urging them to vote "no" on any proposal that cuts or caps Medicaid funding.
AAP has designated two "days of action" to amplify pediatricians' calls, emails and social media messages: June 15 and June 22. Please take a few minutes on these days to speak up for kids.
North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp need to be committed to protecting Medicaid, they need to hear that they have our support. Your voice allows them to raise theirs in opposition to a higher level. Each message is reviewed and logged, and collectively, our voices can make a difference.
Two phone calls take less than 5 minutes.
Call Senators John Hoeven at 202 224 2551 and Heidi Heitkamp at 202 224 2043.
Your message can be as short and simple: "Hello. I am a pediatrician from North Dakota and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. I'm calling to urge the Senator to continue to speaking out against the AHCA. We are at a historic high for insurance coverage for children - 92% in North Dakota - and the AHCA would take us backward. I urge the Senator to continue to oppose the AHCA as well as any funding cuts or caps to Medicaid, which could lead to enrollment and benefit cuts for 61,525 high-risk children across Minnesota and the country."
Want to do more?
· Use social media to share why Medicaid matters to you and your patients with #DontCapMyCare and #KeepKidsCovered.
· @Senator Heitkamp#North Dakota
· facebook.com/Senator Heidi Heitkamp
· @SenJohnHoeven
· Facebook.com/Senator John Hoeven
· Instagram.com/senatorheitkamp
· Write a brief letter to the editor. We're happy to edit and help you get it published.
· If you have property in other states, contact your senators there, too.
· Urge your friends and relatives, especially outside of North Dakota, to speak up and contact their senators as well.
· Find additional talking points and fact sheets
Thank you for taking the time to advocate on behalf of children! Together, we can make a difference!
For more details check your email from the NDAAP
Join in Sending One Message to the Senate: Protect Medicaid June 15 and June 22
The Senate version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) could be introduced any day and passed as early as the Fourth of July.
Please join AAP members across the country in flooding the phone lines and inboxes of U.S. Senators, urging them to vote "no" on any proposal that cuts or caps Medicaid funding.
AAP has designated two "days of action" to amplify pediatricians' calls, emails and social media messages: June 15 and June 22. Please take a few minutes on these days to speak up for kids.
North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp need to be committed to protecting Medicaid, they need to hear that they have our support. Your voice allows them to raise theirs in opposition to a higher level. Each message is reviewed and logged, and collectively, our voices can make a difference.
Two phone calls take less than 5 minutes.
Call Senators John Hoeven at 202 224 2551 and Heidi Heitkamp at 202 224 2043.
Your message can be as short and simple: "Hello. I am a pediatrician from North Dakota and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. I'm calling to urge the Senator to continue to speaking out against the AHCA. We are at a historic high for insurance coverage for children - 92% in North Dakota - and the AHCA would take us backward. I urge the Senator to continue to oppose the AHCA as well as any funding cuts or caps to Medicaid, which could lead to enrollment and benefit cuts for 61,525 high-risk children across Minnesota and the country."
Want to do more?
· Use social media to share why Medicaid matters to you and your patients with #DontCapMyCare and #KeepKidsCovered.
· @Senator Heitkamp#North Dakota
· facebook.com/Senator Heidi Heitkamp
· @SenJohnHoeven
· Facebook.com/Senator John Hoeven
· Instagram.com/senatorheitkamp
· Write a brief letter to the editor. We're happy to edit and help you get it published.
· If you have property in other states, contact your senators there, too.
· Urge your friends and relatives, especially outside of North Dakota, to speak up and contact their senators as well.
· Find additional talking points and fact sheets
Thank you for taking the time to advocate on behalf of children! Together, we can make a difference!
For more details check your email from the NDAAP
March 25, 2017
We're COUNTING ON YOU FOR ND KIDS. We continue to count on your advocacy for ND kids....there are many bills in the house that will cut funding for kids, in education, clean air and water, and housing, and more. The NDAAP will continue to let you know when the AAP brings it to our attention.
This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass the American Health Care Act. The Academy issued the press statement below, urging federal leaders to start over and consider health care reform proposals that will move children's health care coverage forward, not backward.
Pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists have been speaking out since this legislation was first introduced to oppose the bill's dismantling of Medicaid and rollback of benefits for children and families. Today it is clear that your voices were heard and that you advocated for your patients.
Thank you to each of you who spoke up for the first time or for the 100th time. From countless calls and emails to your representatives to numerous op-eds and letters published in newspapers across the country, your advocacy to oppose the AHCA and its detrimental impact on children and families made a difference.
Here is a list of several pieces that were published by pediatricians in just the last few weeks: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Democrat and Chronicle, Sheboygan Press, The Buffalo News, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tallahassee Democrat, Skagit Valley Herald, Tulsa World, The Advocate, Reno Gazette-Journal, Omaha World-Herald and the Dallas Morning News.
It is important to remember, our work is far from over. While the AHCA did not advance, we will continue to urge to Congress that any health care reform proposals must put children first and keep Medicaid strong.
Thank you for your tireless advocacy efforts to protect children's health care coverage and we look forward to continuing this work together in the weeks and months ahead.
AAP Urges Congress to Forge New Path to Protect Children's Health Care
by: Fernando Stein, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
"Following the failure of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the American Academy of Pediatrics urges our federal leaders to start over and instead consider health care reform proposals that will move children's health care coverage forward, not backward.
"In the pages of local newspapers, in Capitol Hill offices and at press events across the country, pediatricians have been voicing our opposition to the AHCA and the detrimental impact it would have on children and families. Our voices were heard and the AHCA did not advance, but our work is far from over.
"The rate of children's health coverage in our country is at a historic high of 95%, and any new health care policies must build on this progress, not tear it down. Nearly 36 million children receive Medicaid coverage, including children with special health care needs and those from low-income families. Though Medicaid is an entitlement program, it is also an empowerment program, allowing families to hold down jobs while caring for ill children, pregnant women to access vital services to ensure she and her baby stay healthy, and providing critical supports for people with disabilities so they can live independently. Any proposal to dismantle Medicaid would have devastating, multi-generational effects on children and families, and it has no place in any future proposal considered by Congress.
"Children are our future, and their future depends on a strong Medicaid program. Pediatricians stand ready to work with Congress and the administration on any future efforts to reform health care, with one condition: that such policies keep Medicaid strong and put children first."
###
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 NW Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007 - 847-434-4000
This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass the American Health Care Act. The Academy issued the press statement below, urging federal leaders to start over and consider health care reform proposals that will move children's health care coverage forward, not backward.
Pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists have been speaking out since this legislation was first introduced to oppose the bill's dismantling of Medicaid and rollback of benefits for children and families. Today it is clear that your voices were heard and that you advocated for your patients.
Thank you to each of you who spoke up for the first time or for the 100th time. From countless calls and emails to your representatives to numerous op-eds and letters published in newspapers across the country, your advocacy to oppose the AHCA and its detrimental impact on children and families made a difference.
Here is a list of several pieces that were published by pediatricians in just the last few weeks: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Democrat and Chronicle, Sheboygan Press, The Buffalo News, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tallahassee Democrat, Skagit Valley Herald, Tulsa World, The Advocate, Reno Gazette-Journal, Omaha World-Herald and the Dallas Morning News.
It is important to remember, our work is far from over. While the AHCA did not advance, we will continue to urge to Congress that any health care reform proposals must put children first and keep Medicaid strong.
Thank you for your tireless advocacy efforts to protect children's health care coverage and we look forward to continuing this work together in the weeks and months ahead.
AAP Urges Congress to Forge New Path to Protect Children's Health Care
by: Fernando Stein, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
"Following the failure of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the American Academy of Pediatrics urges our federal leaders to start over and instead consider health care reform proposals that will move children's health care coverage forward, not backward.
"In the pages of local newspapers, in Capitol Hill offices and at press events across the country, pediatricians have been voicing our opposition to the AHCA and the detrimental impact it would have on children and families. Our voices were heard and the AHCA did not advance, but our work is far from over.
"The rate of children's health coverage in our country is at a historic high of 95%, and any new health care policies must build on this progress, not tear it down. Nearly 36 million children receive Medicaid coverage, including children with special health care needs and those from low-income families. Though Medicaid is an entitlement program, it is also an empowerment program, allowing families to hold down jobs while caring for ill children, pregnant women to access vital services to ensure she and her baby stay healthy, and providing critical supports for people with disabilities so they can live independently. Any proposal to dismantle Medicaid would have devastating, multi-generational effects on children and families, and it has no place in any future proposal considered by Congress.
"Children are our future, and their future depends on a strong Medicaid program. Pediatricians stand ready to work with Congress and the administration on any future efforts to reform health care, with one condition: that such policies keep Medicaid strong and put children first."
###
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 NW Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL, 60007 - 847-434-4000
March 24, 2017
Congratulations to the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics for being selected as a finalist for the American Academy of Pediatrics Small Chapter Award. Thank you to all of the North Dakota Pediatricians that work so hard to improve the health for all the the kids in North Dakota and the nation!
March 12, 2017
"Prescription for the Health of Kids of ND"
A letter to the editor was sent by the NDAAP President, Barbara Benz, to the newspapers of ND. If all of the NDAAP members could please write letters with this information, it would become part of our everyday "fact" based information. Medical Vouchers for ND cannot match any of the support 42% of our kids get for healthcare because of Medicaid, CHIP, ACA minus the 8% uninsured. Let's get that information out to our governor and all of the politicians and community members we can reach.
NORTH DAKOTA Snapshot of Children's Coverage: How Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA Cover Children
Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP
A letter to the editor was sent by the NDAAP President, Barbara Benz, to the newspapers of ND. If all of the NDAAP members could please write letters with this information, it would become part of our everyday "fact" based information. Medical Vouchers for ND cannot match any of the support 42% of our kids get for healthcare because of Medicaid, CHIP, ACA minus the 8% uninsured. Let's get that information out to our governor and all of the politicians and community members we can reach.
NORTH DAKOTA Snapshot of Children's Coverage: How Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA Cover Children
Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP
March 2, 2017
BREAKING NEWS for ND PEDIATRICIANS from Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP, “The Kids Sent Me!”
February 28, 2017
The American Academy of Pediatrics funded all of the Presidents of the Local Chapters for a meeting at Washington, DC, through Friends of Children (donations from the AAP members and others). We met with Senators and Representatives, to respond to the potential for a funding crisis of the Health Care Needs of children. Each one of us addressed the issues that affected our Chapters in our Respective States. We need all of your voices, at a local legislative and gubernatorial level also.
Before the meeting work sessions were set up with a Webinar through the Legislative Offices of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Blueprint for Pediatrics published by the AAP was available for our review. They will be posted on this Web Page.
The information prepared all of us to talk to the people that represent us as a state and as providers of the State of the Art Pediatric care for the children of North Dakota.
In summary, over the last decade funding for the care of children has improved because of the federal funding made available through Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA. In North Dakota, there remain about 8% of children who are uninsured. Only 58% of the children are covered by their parent’s employers. That means 38,000 children are covered through a combination of Federal Programs that are outlined above and 8,000 are covered in Market Place plans. Medicaid covers a large number of children, but there are children who would not have health care coverage without federally funded programs. Parents who do not receive health care through their employment and do not have the income requirements would not have health insurance for their children without CHIP and the ACA.
The AAP position as seen in the Blueprint is to provide access to medical care through consistent primary care with a Pediatrics approach that includes preventive care with well visits, vaccinations, and a coordinated medical home for all children including those with complicated medical conditions. Without federal funding, consistent care does not exist. Replacing these programs with block grants for medical care does not guarantee adequate health care for all children.
I had the opportunity to share this position with the Staff of the offices of Senators Hoeven and Heitkamp, I left the information at the office of Representative Kramer. I have invited all of them to our meeting on May 5, a meeting where all of the Pediatricians are invited to participate in the NDAAP and PCAND sponsored conference on the Identification and Treatment of Infants and Toddlers who have experienced child abuse. Our NDAAP Vice President, Kathy Anderson, MD FAAP and our Treasurer Tracie Newman, MD FAAP, MPH and Executive Director, Kylie Nissen, have worked together to coordinate and sponsor this conference.
We hope to see you May 5 in Bismarck. The conference will also be available by Webinar!!!
Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP, President, NDAAP
PRESCRIPTION FOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH, February 28, 2017
Left for our Senators Hoeven and Heitkamp and Representative Kramer
RX: A prescription for better policies for children
Coverage for children is at an historic high. We can’t roll back the progress we’ve made.
Protect children making sure Medicaid works for children, estending CHIP and preserving ACA’s gains.
38,000 kids in North Dakota rely on Medicaid and Healthy Steps (CHIP). 5,000 kids enrolled in Market Place Plans. 39% of our federal funds go to Medicaid.
Only 58% of kids are covered by Employ-Sponsored Insurance.
Signed. Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP, President of the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics “The Kids Sent Me!”
REFERENCES: Webinar, Blueprint for Children from the AAP, and Presentation on February 28, 2017. Will be posted later.
February 28, 2017
The American Academy of Pediatrics funded all of the Presidents of the Local Chapters for a meeting at Washington, DC, through Friends of Children (donations from the AAP members and others). We met with Senators and Representatives, to respond to the potential for a funding crisis of the Health Care Needs of children. Each one of us addressed the issues that affected our Chapters in our Respective States. We need all of your voices, at a local legislative and gubernatorial level also.
Before the meeting work sessions were set up with a Webinar through the Legislative Offices of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Blueprint for Pediatrics published by the AAP was available for our review. They will be posted on this Web Page.
The information prepared all of us to talk to the people that represent us as a state and as providers of the State of the Art Pediatric care for the children of North Dakota.
In summary, over the last decade funding for the care of children has improved because of the federal funding made available through Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA. In North Dakota, there remain about 8% of children who are uninsured. Only 58% of the children are covered by their parent’s employers. That means 38,000 children are covered through a combination of Federal Programs that are outlined above and 8,000 are covered in Market Place plans. Medicaid covers a large number of children, but there are children who would not have health care coverage without federally funded programs. Parents who do not receive health care through their employment and do not have the income requirements would not have health insurance for their children without CHIP and the ACA.
The AAP position as seen in the Blueprint is to provide access to medical care through consistent primary care with a Pediatrics approach that includes preventive care with well visits, vaccinations, and a coordinated medical home for all children including those with complicated medical conditions. Without federal funding, consistent care does not exist. Replacing these programs with block grants for medical care does not guarantee adequate health care for all children.
I had the opportunity to share this position with the Staff of the offices of Senators Hoeven and Heitkamp, I left the information at the office of Representative Kramer. I have invited all of them to our meeting on May 5, a meeting where all of the Pediatricians are invited to participate in the NDAAP and PCAND sponsored conference on the Identification and Treatment of Infants and Toddlers who have experienced child abuse. Our NDAAP Vice President, Kathy Anderson, MD FAAP and our Treasurer Tracie Newman, MD FAAP, MPH and Executive Director, Kylie Nissen, have worked together to coordinate and sponsor this conference.
We hope to see you May 5 in Bismarck. The conference will also be available by Webinar!!!
Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP, President, NDAAP
PRESCRIPTION FOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH, February 28, 2017
Left for our Senators Hoeven and Heitkamp and Representative Kramer
RX: A prescription for better policies for children
Coverage for children is at an historic high. We can’t roll back the progress we’ve made.
Protect children making sure Medicaid works for children, estending CHIP and preserving ACA’s gains.
38,000 kids in North Dakota rely on Medicaid and Healthy Steps (CHIP). 5,000 kids enrolled in Market Place Plans. 39% of our federal funds go to Medicaid.
Only 58% of kids are covered by Employ-Sponsored Insurance.
Signed. Barbara A. Bentz, MD FAAP, President of the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics “The Kids Sent Me!”
REFERENCES: Webinar, Blueprint for Children from the AAP, and Presentation on February 28, 2017. Will be posted later.
February 2017
February 2, 2017: District VI monthly call, attended by Drs Anderson and Bentz included information about the changes in the AAP, review of the progress of the ABP and MOC. There are three new priorities on the agenda for children: Racial Bias, Physician Health and Wellness and International NonCommunicable disease. This will all be reviewed again at the Annual Leadership Forum on March 9. Stay tuned in.
We hope to implement action for children and health issues at a local level. As part of that PCAND and Kathy Anderson, your Vice President of the NDAAP, your ED Kylie Nissen and your treasurer Tracie Newman, MD and myself are working together to make a difference for children. This program will be held on May 5, and we hope to have a Webinar available for those who cannot physically attend the conference for the physician portions and for the business meeting.
Please check the WebPage and Facebook for more information.
We hope to implement action for children and health issues at a local level. As part of that PCAND and Kathy Anderson, your Vice President of the NDAAP, your ED Kylie Nissen and your treasurer Tracie Newman, MD and myself are working together to make a difference for children. This program will be held on May 5, and we hope to have a Webinar available for those who cannot physically attend the conference for the physician portions and for the business meeting.
Please check the WebPage and Facebook for more information.
January 2017
I will be attending the February 27 meeting in DC with the rest of the districts across the country, and if you have anything you want me to discuss let me know.
You will notice on the website homepage that we uploaded the video “Monumental” from the AAP, and you are welcome to rebroadcast it in your communities and submit any videos or photos that represent your community, so that can be presented to the AAP.
NORTH DAKOTA FACE OF PEDIATRICS
Your current Vice President is Dr. Anderson, who has been practicing general pediatrics in Bismarck, North Dakota since 2009. She is the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at St. Alexius Medical Center and an assistant professor at University of North Dakota School of Medicine. She is also an associate professor at the University of Mary where she provides pediatric content lectures to nurse practitioner students and is adjunct faculty at North Dakota State University where she works with MPH students to develop projects in the realm of maternal infant child health.
Grants available from the AAP: Catch Grants
*February 27 and 28, Dr. Bentz is going to be in DC to present information to the incoming Legislature, about AAP issues.
*May 5 NDAAP meeting, more announcements coming.
May 10-11, 2017: The Red River Children’s Advocacy Center’s Annual Training will be held at the Fargodome.
*March 8-12 Annual Leadership Forum, Chicago
March 29-30 Pediatric Urgent Care Conference
March 31-April 1 International Native Health Conference
*June 1-4 in Newport with District IX
Sincerely, Barbara A. Bentz MD FAAP, President NDAAP
You will notice on the website homepage that we uploaded the video “Monumental” from the AAP, and you are welcome to rebroadcast it in your communities and submit any videos or photos that represent your community, so that can be presented to the AAP.
NORTH DAKOTA FACE OF PEDIATRICS
Your current Vice President is Dr. Anderson, who has been practicing general pediatrics in Bismarck, North Dakota since 2009. She is the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at St. Alexius Medical Center and an assistant professor at University of North Dakota School of Medicine. She is also an associate professor at the University of Mary where she provides pediatric content lectures to nurse practitioner students and is adjunct faculty at North Dakota State University where she works with MPH students to develop projects in the realm of maternal infant child health.
Grants available from the AAP: Catch Grants
*February 27 and 28, Dr. Bentz is going to be in DC to present information to the incoming Legislature, about AAP issues.
*May 5 NDAAP meeting, more announcements coming.
May 10-11, 2017: The Red River Children’s Advocacy Center’s Annual Training will be held at the Fargodome.
*March 8-12 Annual Leadership Forum, Chicago
March 29-30 Pediatric Urgent Care Conference
March 31-April 1 International Native Health Conference
*June 1-4 in Newport with District IX
Sincerely, Barbara A. Bentz MD FAAP, President NDAAP