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Promoting neonatal equity & justice through collaboration
April 2025
Meet up with NJC in-person at PAS
Saturday, April 26, 2025
11:40 AM - 12:55 PM
Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort: Waianae Room
NJC_PAS2025.pdfMed Ed + Workforce Diversity Meeting
Med Ed + Workforce Diversity Meeting
The Medical Education Subcommittee hosted a well attended event on April 4, “Navigating Recruitment in Pediatrics & Neonatology Amidst Emerging Policies”. Dr. Uchenna Anani hosted panelists Tracey Robertson Bell, DNP, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program at University of Pittsburgh, and Kenya McNeal-Trice, MD, Professor and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine.
At the event, these brave, inspirational leaders described how they entered their current fields, reviewed emerging concerning trends in current recruitment policies, discussed creative strategies to work within the current system, and discussed roles one can play in ongoing health equity efforts going forward. They also talked about how to foster psychological safety in academic communities and how to start an early career given the current climate. Some quotes:
Works In Progress :
Works In Progress :
Equity Focused Quality Improvement
Equity Focused Quality Improvement
Join our next session on May 6, 2025 2:30-4p EST will be on “Equity and Safe Sleep for Infants in Illinois” presented by neonatologist Dr. Leslie Caldarelli and “Mitigating Unplanned Extubation Disparities” presented by neonatologist Dr. Liz Bonachea.
Advocacy Advice
Advocacy Advice
The Policy + Advocacy Subcommittee hosted an informative session How to Advocate for Infants Today: Protecting Medicaid and Beyond. Over thirty attendees learned how to contact federal legislators, received briefings on Medicaid from Dr. Shetal Shah and immigration policies from Dr. Kshama Shah, and reviewed available resources.
Recommendations to contact federal legislators:
5 Calls as a great starting resource: https://5calls.org/
Use your personal and not institutional mailing addresses and affiliations.
Share templates to colleagues to minimize engagement barriers,
Stay connected via https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Medicaid Briefing:
Medicaid covers 40% of all births in the US (2021 data), 50% of high risk births, and virtually all early preterm births. Children are 40% of all Medicaid recipients, but 20% of all Medicaid costs. State budgets are made up of medicaid funding; if federal spending on medicaid decreases, states will have to make up that deficit in other ways
“[As neonatologists], we are also indirectly employees of the Medicaid program.” - Dr. Shah
Helpful Resources:
AAP State-specific Medicaid information: https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/childrens-health-care-coverage-fact-sheets/
NJC Advocacy Subcommittee Medicaid Fact Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MqU6JkbTF7tXkckiCDTT4_Z_IHVNO4Ij/view?pli=1
Kids First - A weekly email by the AAP. Helpful for busy neonatologists to keep updated
Georgetown Center for Children and Families “Say-Ah” blog: https://say-ah.org/
Podcasts on NICU incubator by Dr. Shah:
Immigration Briefing:
Immigrant adults account for 16% of the adult population. 25% of children have a parent who is an immigrant parent. Review of recent (181+!!) executive orders and policy actions including: birthright citizenship, undoing Biden Administration protections, closing the southern border, immigration enforcement and removing noncitizens (expanding detention and removal resources, gender restrictions, international restrictions)
Resources:
With so many and frequent changes to the support systems integral to the health of our patients and families, it is so important to stay updated and connected. Share these resources with your community and tell us of other resources we can publicize through NJC here.
Health Equity Highlights - April
Health Equity Highlights - April
Stay up to date on literature or other non-NJC health equity focused events below
Get involved in "Stand up for science protests" for national or local event information.
Looking for an inspirational podcast? Tune into Dr. Kemi Doll's podcast "Your Unapologetic Career" to invest in yourself to help invest in others
Nursing Program for Advancing Training in Health and Social Determinants (NPATHS) is a 9-month comprehensive program grounded in community-based, participatory research designed to equip nurse scientists or allied health professionals, with the tools to advance health equity through research-focused training and reflective practice.
Committee Corner
Committee Corner
Advocacy + Policy
Advocacy + Policy
This committee is led by new junior leaders Drs. Kshama Shah and Sarah Swenson, new senior leader Dr. Levi Funches, and returning senior leader Dr. Valencia Walker. Stay tuned for their next event!
Get connected to their listserv with the interest button below.
Med Ed + Workforce Diversity
Med Ed + Workforce Diversity
This committee is led by new junior leaders Drs. Kaquanta Barlow and Shenell Reynolds, our previous junior leading serving new senior role Dr. Uche Anani, and returning senior leader Dr. Elizabeth Bonachea.
Sign-up to join the subcommittee with the link below.
Quality Improvement
Quality Improvement
This committee is led by junior leaders Drs. Gaby Cordova Ramos, Nick Heitkamp, and Michelle-Marie Pena, and lead by senior leaders Drs. Roopali Bapat and Susan Hwang.
If you're interested in joining this subcommittee, indicate your interest via the button below.
Research
Research
This committee is led by junior leaders Drs. Alejandra Barrero-Castillero and Ashlee Vance, and senior leaders Drs. Ashwini Lakshmanan and Henry Lee.
Sign up to present at the next Works In Project below.
Interested in joining the NJC general body or a committee? Connect here to join our listserv and upcoming events!
Contact us at neonataljustice@gmail.com or @NeonatalJustice
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