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• “If we could have but one generation of
 properly born, trained, educated and healthy children, a thousand other problems of government would vanish." Herbert Hoover
Marian Wright-Edelman Inspires NCE!  (2009) Marian Wright-Edelman, attorney, civil rights leader, and founder of the Children's Defense Fund, addressed the plenary session at the American Academy of Pediatrics NCE meeting in Washington DC last week. She told the audience that it is time for a "Poor Children's Campaign" to address the fact that 14 million children now live in poverty (up from 11 million during Martin Luther King's "Poor People's Campaign"). In particular, she stressed the importance of a "health and mental health system" designed to help the whole child. Specifically, children need a comprehensive benefit package (like Medicaid) with a simplified bureaucracy to access such benefits, and one that is available to all children. She also advocated for a national safety net (covering all families up to 300% of the FPL), and to keep SCHIP in place. She fervently urged everyone to work hard to ensure that health care reform does not leave children worse off than before reform. As she put it, "we don't have a money problem, we have a morals problem and a priorities problem." Her remarks were applauded with a standing ovation. She closed with this timely advice: "We don't win if we don't raise a ruckus."
New Law and Medicine Group Forming! (2009) A new interdisciplinary law and medicine group is forming and will explore the areas where the two disciplines intersect as well as ways in which the two professions can work together. All law students, medical students, residents, and others are welcome to participate in monthly meetings. The next meeting will be on "Meeting with your State Legislator" and will be held on Wednesday November 18 from 1200-100 pm at the law school (room location to be announced). Contact dep6b@virginia.edu for details! Students Serve "Reach Out and Read" During National Primary Care Week! (2009) During September, in celebration of National Primary Care Week, UVA medical students escaped from their books for a bit to participate in "Reach Out and Read." They visited the public library and checked out their favorite books from childhood, the ones that inspired imaginations and piqued curiosities. With these books in hand, they went to the UVA Primary Care Center and had a great time reading with the children there. Orange County Health Fair!
(2009) The second annual Orange County Health Fair was held June 18 at the Orange County High School Field House. Volunteers were on hand to provide health screenings for children and adults, including blood pressure, vision, hearing, and other services. Volunteers from over forty community agencies participated. The field house was filled with families from Orange and surrounding communities who received health screenings and health information, and then enjoyed the moon bounce and door prizes. Plans are underway for the 2010 Orange County Health Fair, to be held June 17, 2010. Charlottesville Boys and Girls Club Health Fair (2009) The Charlottesville Boys and Girls Club and the University of Virginia Health System sponsored the annual Boys and Girls Club Health Fair. Blood pressure checks, sports physicals, smoothies, health tips and health information were all available for free to everyone who attended. UVA pediatric residents and faculty were on hand once again to provide sports physicals so that everyone is ready for sports when school starts in the fall. This has become an annual event. UVA Delegation Speaks Up for Children at 2009 AAP Legislative Conference!
(2009) Dr. Ann Kellams, Dr. Hazel Garrish, Dr. Cara Haberman, and Dr. Ashley Logan attended the 2009 AAP Legislative Conference in Washington DC April 19-21. Together with over 100 pediatricians from across the country (including 30 residents), they took a crash course in current federal health issues (otherwise known as health care reform) and federal advocacy techniques. The conference culminated with all of the pediatricians converging on Capitol Hill to talk with their legislators about the importance of remembering the unique needs of children as the health reform process moves forward. During the conference, speakers with first-hand knowledge of Washington politics shared their insights. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) explained how difficult it can be to be a legislator and struggle to make decisions that are in the best interests of your state and your constitutents. Senator Hagan is a freshman senator and took office in November; her first vote was on the new administration's SCHIP reauthorization/expansion bill and she had to decide between doing what was right for children and supporting the thousands of workers in her state who depend on the tobacco industry for their livelihoods. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has been in the Senate since 2006 and also shared her insights into the federal legislative process and clearly recognizes the importance of keeping a good sense of humor and balance awhile working through legislation. She was particularly well-attuned to the needs of children and those with special health care needs. "I felt like legislators' offices were listening to us and we actually made a difference for children's health." Dr. Ashley Logan On-hand were also a number of policy analysts and child health experts. Dr. Wendy Davis, a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, is now Director of Maternal and Child Health in Vermont. She shared her experiences as a general pediatrician turned public health physician. Judy Feder, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and Professor at Georgetown Public Policy Institute discussed how health reform today is positioned significantly differently than the health care reform movement of the early 1990s and encouraged pediatricians to make the needs of children known.
(2009) While in Virginia, Dr. Zuckerman worked with residents, faculty and community leaders at both UVA and MCV. He presented Grand Rounds, "Transforming Pediatric Health Care to Reduce Health Disparities," describing how stress and other effects of poverty, acting through hormonal pathways and other mechanisms, become embedded physiciologically in children exposed to inadequte resources and excessive stresses during childhood. He also met with pediatric faculty, residents, law students, community leaders and others to encourage dialogue and develop strategies for increasing collaboration and advocacy initiatives in Virginia to reduce the effects of poverty on child health. Dr. Zuckerman is a nationally recognized leader in pediatrics, focusing his career on the social determinants of child health and strategies to improve them. He developed the medical-legal partnerhsip model and 80 programs now provide access to legal aid in the medical setting. He is at the forefront of building effective interdisciplinary and community partnerships at the local, state, and national levels. The visiting professorship was funded through the Leonard P. Rome Visiting Professorship CATCH Grant program through the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as through support from the University of Virginia Department of Pediatrics and the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Pediatrics.
Pediatric General Assembly Day, 2009!
Dr. Robert Gunther and Dr. Sam Bartle
By midmorning, everyone was ready to walk up the hill to the General Assembly Building to meet face to face with their legislators. The main issues under consideration this year included proposed smoking bans, insurance benefits for children with autism, medicaid reimbursement, and mental health resources for children. Participants had scheduled visits with over 30 different legislative offices.
The Senate Committee for Education and Health was in session and the committee room was filled with white-coated pediatricians and child advocates as many participants were able to attend while the committee considered issues related to both autism and smoking. Participants then split up into teams and paid visits to their state legislators. The day ended with a debriefing lunch sponsored by the Medical Society of Virginia and led by Karin Addison, VA Chapter, AAP lobbyist. Plans are already underway for next year's General Assembly Day, tentatively planned for the 4th Thursday in January.
UVA Delegation Attends AAP Legislative Conference 2008!
As the 3 day event concluded, over 100 pediatricians from across the country, including 30 residents, descended on Capitol Hill to make their voices heard in support of children and their health. The Honorable Diana DeGette (D-CO) addressed them on their arrival to the Rayburn House onal Office Building, discussing frankly the difficulties that have plagued efforts to effectively address outstanding SCHP and Medicaid issues and applauded the efforts of pediatricians to speak up for children in Washington. The UVA delegation plans to use what they have learned to develop a state legislative training program for pediatric residents.
(August 2007) Over 120 motorcycle enthusiasts roared into the parking
The event was organized by the Wal-Mart distribution center, motorcycle enthusists, and many other businesses throughout central Virginia. Business sponsors included the Wal-Mart Distribution Center 7045, Shenandoah Harley Davidson, and Outback Steakhouse, among many others. Event organizers have established this as an annual event and promise that it will grow bigger every year.
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Dr. Barry Zuckerman, The Joel and Barbara Alpert Professor and Chair of Pediatrics at Boston Univeristy School of Medicine, came to Virginia for a 3 day visiting professorship March 18-20 and met with residents, faculty, community leaders, students and others dedicated to child health at both UVA and MCV. The program, entitled "A Culture of Advocacy" sought to bring increased awareness of the importance of advocacy for child health, to promote dialogue between the health care systems and other stakeholders for children's health, and to find ways to further develop a culture of advocacy in our health care systems and our communities.
The morning started with an introduction to the legislative process and how to meet with legislators. Dr. Kate Schrecengost, senior pediatric resident at UVA, talked with participants about her experiences meeting with state and federal legislators and what to expect when they met with their legislators. Dr. Colleen Kraft (immediate past president, VA Chapter, AAP), Dr. Sam Bartle (Chair, Government Affairs Committee, VA Chapter, AAP), and Dr. Robert Gunther (President, VA Chapter, AAP) presented an overview of the legislation under consideration this session. Dr. Karen Remley, Virginia Health Commissioner (and pediatrician), also attended and spoke to participants about the importance of speaking up for children in the state legislative process.
(April 2008) Drs. Arthi Krishnan, Kate Schrecengost, Martha Hellems and Diane Pappas attended the 2008 AAP Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. While there, they learned about the current policies threatening the health and well-being of children across the nation and honed their skills in preparation for meeting with their legislators on Capitol Hill. 
Along the way, they also participated in a mock caucus (Woodrow Wilson won), spent several hours learning the ropes as a "freshman congressman," and took a 2 mile fun run/walk under the cherry blossoms at the tidal basin! Dr. Ralph Northum, pediatric neurologist from tidewater and freshman Virginia state senator was one of the keynote speakers and shared with participants his perspectives, as a pediatrician and legislator, on how to affect change in our state and our country. 
lot at the Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center on Saturday August 25, 2007, complete with a police escort and accompanied by a Wal-Mart truck loaded with toys and diapers as part of the 1st annual Toy Rally in the Valley! Thanks to patients and families from the Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center, as well as UVA Children's Hospital supporters, the motorcyles arrived to welcoming waves and loud cheers as they drove up to the center. Motorcyclists gathered early Saturday morning at the Wal-Mart distribution center at 
