Resident Advocacy Projects
Food insecurity curriculum for residents
Resident curricula addressing food insecurity include a topic of the week (TOW), presentations during community practice month, smart phrases, and compiled community resources.
Resident Contact:
Priya Saha (priya.saha@seattlechildrens.org) and Maddy Wozniak (madeline.wozniak@seattlechildrens.org) (AY 21-22)
Collaborators:
Priya Saha MD, Madeline Wozniak MD, Kelly Fisher MEd (director of the Food Security Program at Seattle Children’s)
Relevant Links:
- TOW: https://depts.washington.edu/uwpeds/tow/?cat=23
- EPIC Smartphrase: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KuauimR3AgzyNh8OJc6IlKhd1SPsi8560CZvbkiBnCM/edit?usp=sharing
- AAP and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC): https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/frac-aap-toolkit.pdf
Screening tool for social determinants of health
We are working to create and implement a community-driven screening tool for social/structural determinants of health as well as roadmaps for positive screens. We are collaborating with clinic social workers, community partners, and are working to fund and develop a community advisory board for this project. We are designing the pilot for Kent Des Moines Clinic (and hope to possibly expand across UW clinics).
Resident Contacts: Julianne Edwards MD (Julianne.Edwards@seattlechildrens.org), Georgia Griffin MD (Georgia.Griffin@seattlechildrens.org), Shaila Bonanno MD, Alaina Shine MD
Collaborators: Kari Gillenwater MD, Leslie Graham MSW, Avin Lao (Pediatric Health Navigator), resident representatives and social workers at other UW Neighborhood Clinics
Washington Pediatricians for Climate Action
Washington Pediatricians for Climate Action is a group started by Seattle Children’s residents and dedicated to raising awareness of the impacts of climate change on children’s health. Our work includes research, education, and legislative advocacy. Current projects include: looking at ED visits and hospitalizations for respiratory distress during wildfires, incorporating climate and health topics into noon conferences, and working with the WA AAP and other groups to promote climate legislation at the state level. Please join us! Check out our website: https://www.pedsforclimateaction.org/
Resident Contact: Alexandra (Alee) Perkins MD (Alexandra.Perkins@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Sara Drescher MD, Kenny Ferenchak MD, Divya Natarajan MD, Alexandra Obremskey MD, Rebecca Wu MD, Nancy Danoff MD, Mollie Grow MD, Jon Cogen MD, Markus Boos MD, Deemah Arafah MD, Pragya Rai MD (pulmonologist from Spokane), Physicians for Social Responsibility, WCAAP
Echo Glen Youth Detention Center Social Justice Library
Collection of books at the Echo Glen Youth Detention Center centering the voices of diverse authors with a focus on social justice themes. Full library catalog including call numbers and tags, as well as Amazon Wish List below.
Resident Contact: Samara Jinks-Chang (Samara.Jinks-Chang@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Samara Jinks-Chang MD, Roberto Montenegro MD, Whitney Sakakibara
Relevant Links:
- Library Catalog: https://www.librarycat.org/lib/EchoGlenSJLibrary
- Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1JD4WL09V3BAW?ref_=wl_share
Youth Water Safety NMU (No More Under) Collaboration @OBCC
We coordinate free swimvests, water watcher badges/app, free CPR classes and written resources on swim safety for patient families at resident clinics (currently only Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic) in conjunction with the non-profit org No More Under.
Resident Contact: Samara Jinks-Chang MD (Samara.Jinks-Chang@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Samara Jinks-Chang MD, Chezik Tsunoda (Founder of No More Under)
Relevant Links: https://www.nomoreunder.org/
Equitable caregiver restrictions in Covid
We are working to ensure bedside caregiver restrictions in the setting of COVID-19 are equitable at Seattle Children’s Hospital, UW Hospital, and Harborview Medical Center. It entails a QI survey of residents regarding single bedside caregiver policy, which has influenced revision of the exception request process and formation of a working group focused on equity in the setting of COVID-19. We are working in conjunction with the CDHE towards possible publication and/or noon safety conference, etc. Chloe Douglas has also since joined the Equity and Caregiver Exceptions During COVID Working Group.
Resident Contact: Chloe Douglas MD (Chloe.Douglas@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Chloe Douglas MD, Maneesh Batra MD, Jessi McDade MD, Shaquita Bell MD, Alicia Adele MSW, Center for Diversity and Health Equity, SCH Peds Chiefs
Microaggressions Reporting System
Creating an internal microaggression/racism reporting system for residents
Resident Contact: Anthony Bui MD (Anthony.Bui@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Anthony Bui MD, DCOMM, Chief Residents
Bringing Stop the Bleed for Teens
Injuries are the leading cause of death in the US among people aged 1-44, and uncontrolled bleeding is the leading preventable cause of death after an injury. Bystanders can play a key role in early intervention of bleeding management if adequately trained. Stop the Bleed is an emergency bleeding first-aid curriculum, and national leaders in trauma surgery and emergency medicine have called for its expansion into schools. However, the attitudes and preferences of parents, specifically those whose families have experienced past trauma/injury, towards expanding this training into high schools has not been evaluated, and limited evidence exists regarding the efficacy and acceptability of this training among high school students.
This project first sought to assess attitudes of caregivers towards expansion of this training into high schools, and then partnered with Seattle and King County public schools to perform pilot training sessions with high school students, learn from those students what their experience was like, and evaluate how well they learned emergency bleeding control skills.
Resident Contacts: Hannah Deming (Hannah.Deming@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Hannah Deming MD, Jessi McDade MD, Samara Jinks-Chang MD, Harborview Injury Prevention Research Center, Franklin High School Medical Interest Club, Kent Public Schools, Seattle Public Schools
Relevant Links: https://hiprc.org/outreach/stop-the-bleed/ and https://www.stopthebleed.org
Advocacy curriculum during 3rd year pediatrics clerkship
This 90 minute curriculum is focused on the epidemiology of firearm injury in the U.S., as well as individual- and system-level advocacy skills. Med students will learn to apply stories and statistics about firearm injury prevention to advocate for patients, families, and communities. Residents have the opportunity to teach, share their advocacy passions, and connect with med students.
Resident Contact: Georgia Griffin MD (Georgia.Griffin@seattlechildrens.org)
Collaborators: Georgia Griffin MD, Hannah Deming MD, Sarah Nutman MD, Abena Knight MD, Rebekah Burns MD
Harborview Foster Care Center of Excellence Project
We are working to create educational videos for other healthcare providers to help them harness features of the EMR to provide more thorough, high quality care for children in the foster care system. There are unique standards of care for children in the foster care system, specifically surrounding frequency of well child visits and mental health screenings, so our work focuses on equity and quality improvement for these metrics.
Resident Contact: Valentine Esposito MD (Valentine.Esposito@seattlechild)
Collaborators: Valentine Esposito MD, Kari Gillenwater MD
Relevant Links: http://www.hmcfostercarewa.org/
ACEs continuity clinic screening project
This project is working to develop a pathway for screening, treating, and ultimately preventing adverse childhood experiences.
Resident Contact: Mike Arenson (Michael.Arenson@seattlechildrens.org)
Human Trafficking Work-Group
This group is working on human trafficking prevention, developing provider trainings in prevention and focus groups for youth in or at risk for entering the life. Our hope is to help establish a medical home for this group of patients.
Resident Contacts: Mahtab Danai (Mahtab.Danai@seattlechildrens.org); Lilian McKinley (lilian.mckiinley@seattlechildrens.org)
Inpatient Reach Out and Read
This program gives kids age 6 months to 6 years a book when they are admitted to the hospital. There are opportunities for program advocacy, updating educational materials, or research!
Resident Contacts: Georgia Griffin (Georgia.Griffin@seattlechildrens.org); Emily Davis (Emily.Davis@seattlechildrens.org)
Op-Eds
“Guest Opinion: Youth are facing mental health struggles during pandemic” – Emily Kemper, The Yakima Herald, 3/14/2021
“Mass shootings: Restrict firearm access” – Fred Rivera MD & Anthony Bui MD, The Seattle Times, 3/26/2021
Link: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/mass-shootings-restrict-firearm-access/
“New mothers need care for child’s sake and theirs” – Georgia Griffin MD & Tania Haag MD, The Everett Herald, 1/4/2021
Link: https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-new-mothers-need-care-for-childs-sake-and-theirs/
“Our struggling youth deserve access to mental health treatment” – Emily Kemper, The Seattle Times, 12/22/2019
Link: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/our-struggling-youth-deserve-access-to-mental-health-treatment/
“Seattle Pediatricians Call to Fund our Future: Invest in Black Lives” – Madeline Wozniak MD, Anthony L. Bui MD MPH, Melissa Martos MD, Courtney Gilliam MD, An Injustice, 7/6/2020
Link: https://medium.com/an-injustice/fund-our-future-invest-in-black-lives-fd7ef2aaf232
Resident Testimony to WA State Legislature:
- Sally Peach – Importance of free and low-cost school lunch programs, 2020
- Caroline Hogan – Importance of healthy beverages in kids’ meals, 2020
- Sarah Hutcheson – Improving access to mental health care for children and teens, 2020
- Maggie Wright – Increasing Reach Out and Read funding, 2019
Advocacy Resources
As pediatricians, our job is to advocate for child health inside and outside the hospital. But how can we do this on a resident schedule? What skills do we actually need to effectively advocate for our patients?
The advocacy curriculum teaches residents tangible skills that can be used in residency and beyond to advocate for the health of children. This curriculum covers topics about how to effectively advocate for the individual patient as well as the community at the local, state, and federal levels. This page is where you can find helpful resources and learn more about the specific topics covered in this curriculum. Happy advocating!
***Advocacy Resources***