Neonatal Justice Collaborative
Promoting neonatal equity & justice through collaboration
February 2024
Celebrate Black History Month
Take time this month to honor and celebrate Black History. In our quest to advance health equity, antiracism, and social justice, we encourage you to join the Perinatal Quality Improvement's 28 Day Antiracism Challenge with daily activities to challenge and support your personal anti-racism work.
Check out the corner
Make sure to check out the "Committee Corner" below to read exciting opportunities from subcommittees including
Recap of "Spotlight an Advocate" with Dr. Miller
Information on NJC Health Equity Leadership and Mentorship Program
Sign-up for UCLA event “Addressing Disparities in Maternal, Fetal, and Neonatal Health” and hear from some NJC leaders
Opportunity to present at the next Research in Progress
We Want You!
The Neonatal Justice Collaborative is looking for individuals to join our executive committee in junior or senior leadership roles. Learn more about the positions and the expectations via the slides (click to expand in new tab). Indicate your interest below.
Health Equity Rounds - NICU
Drs. Kathryn Paul and Daria Murosko led an incredible session on January 10, discussing their experience starting and leading Health Equity Rounds in the CHOP NICU. Their work was created out of witnessed disparate care and supported through mentorship. HER was modeled off work in Boston is built around a specific case to create buy in and personal investment, then builds shared vocabulary, works to reduce individual biases, cement a common knowledge base, deliver tools for engagement, and ultimately create lasting change at individual team and institutional level.
Watch the recording to hear the pair share the strengths and challenges with they've faced with program. Our 48 attendees had the chance to get connect more directly in break out rooms and explore and expand
Drs. Paul and Murosko shared their slide template for those interested in recreating HER in their units. Additional resources are available here.
If you're interested in being a part of a national Health Equity Rounds effort to create and/or provide resources, conference outlines, and evaluation tools that can be used to implement Health Equity Rounds at your respective institution, complete this link. NICU fellow Dr. Shenell Reynolds leading this work will be in touch!
Committee Corner
Advocacy + Policy
This committee is led by Drs. Diana Montoya- Williams, Ololade Okito, Stephen Patrick, and Valencia Walker.
The last Spotlight an Advocate series on January 31 featured Dr. Emily Miller. By hearing Dr. Miller's career path and how she "connected the dots," our 29 participants were better able to envision how their career as a health equity advocate may look. Dr. Miller highlighted additional training she's received address the political determinants of health through the APA Health Policy Scholars Program. She shared the incredible work in Cincinnati with Cradle Cincinnati and Queen's Village that is done "by the community, in the community, and for the community."
Get connected to their listserv with the interest button below.
Med Ed + Workforce Diversity
This committee is led by Drs. Uchenna Anani, Michelle Marie Pena, Laura Rubinos, and Elizabeth Bonachea.
Dr. Anani and other NJC leaders are working on developing a pilot educational program called the NJC Health Equity Leadership & Mentorship Program to promote health equity leadership training, mentorship, and career development for pediatric residents, neonatal fellows, and nursing/NNP students pursuing a career in neonatal health justice. Thus, we are seeking a diverse group of interdisciplinary volunteers to serve as mentors (both career and/or research/scholarly), group facilitators, and/or content experts. This includes but not limited to neonatologists and pediatricians, NPM fellows, neonatal nurses & nurse practitioners, physician assistants, neonatal hospitalists, former NICU parents/family advocates, researchers, and community partners/advocates. We are also seeking individuals that work in different hospital settings including academic/university-based, community, etc. and those who are from underrepresented and/or marginalized groups as well as allies. Information regarding expectations & duties for each role and to complete an interest survey see link.
Next of Med Ed and Workforce Diversity meeting is 3/15. If you're interested in joining this subcommittee and receiving event invitations, indicate your interest via the button below.
Quality Improvement
This committee is led by Drs. Gaby Cordova Ramos, Nick Heitkamp, Roopali Bapat, Susan Hwang, and Animesh Sabnis.
Consider attending the 5th Annual Whitney Rawn Cale Endowed Lectureship at UCLA on February 7, 2024 entitled “Addressing Disparities in Maternal, Fetal, and Neonatal Health” and hear Drs. Sabins, Walker, and Montoya-Williams speak in-person. The goal of this year's conference is to provide expert education on health care disparities and identify and implement actionable ways to address these disparities in clinical care, research, scholarly activities, and medical education. The conference has hands-on workshops in the morning, in-person talks in the afternoon. Register here for in person or here for an afternoon webinar.
If you're interested in joining this subcommittee, indicate your interest via the button below.
Research
This committee is led by Drs. Alejandra Barrero-Castillero, Ashlee Vance, Heather Burris, Ashwini Lakshmanan, and Henry Lee.
The next Work-In-Progress meeting is on 2/21. Sign up to
Receive constructive feedback from a diverse group of Neonatal health equity enthusiasts and families across the country,
Gain experience conducting research skillfully and presenting your research to a national audience or researchers,
Provide useful feedback to peers regarding research,
Advancing health equity, antiracism and social in justice in Neonatology through collaboration in research projects and connecting with experts around the country.
Interested in joining the NJC general body or a committee? Tell us here
Contact us at neonataljustice@gmail.com or @NeonatalJustice