Christina Kratlian, MA
SOPT Advocacy Campaign 2017-18: Access 4 Kids
Access to healthcare and the ability to visit a physician is essential in improving and determining children’s health across the country. As the healthcare debate continues to evolve, we have seen thousands of pediatricians across the country take a stand to defend all children’s right to health care. Recognizing the crucial importance of access to quality medical care for children, the AAP’s Section on Pediatric Trainees annual advocacy campaign will focus on advocating for improved access to healthcare for all children, regardless of their medical conditions, living situation, country of origin, or preferred gender or sexual orientation.
The Access 4 Kids campaign will focus its efforts on four populations of children, including:
- Children Living in Foster Care or Group Homes
- Immigrant Children (defined as children who are foreign-born or children born in the United States who live with at least one parent who is foreign-born)
- Children and Youth Identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, or Queer (LGBTQ)
- Children with Special Health Care Needs
Access 4 Kids
The Access 4 Kids campaign aims to be fluid to allow for changing legislation at the state and national level to dictate our advocacy efforts, primarily using social media to respond to current political events. However, the campaign will have a defined quarterly structure, including:
- A variety of educational resources to help trainees understand the intricacies of each specific population and how to best address their health care needs in the clinic and hospital setting.
- An interactive webinar within each quarter with a prominent physician well-versed in the health care needs of each population of children.
- A call to action at the end of each quarter to emphasize the work done across the country and to promote improved access to care at the community, state, and national level. The campaign will highlight the work already being done and new projects that have taken place on a Google map so everyone can share in the amazing advocacy efforts of their fellow trainees. Included in these efforts is a platform for residents and fellows to submit essays about their own experiences and the experiences of the patients that they care for daily.
The Access 4 Kids campaign will strive to educate and empower pediatricians-in-training to advocate on a community, state, and national level for access to quality health care for all of America’s children during this important time. The campaign urges trainees to get involved and help address inequities for some of our country’s most vulnerable children. Please reach out to the co-chairs with any questions, and then join all trainees as we open the health care door for all children!
For kids,
Rachel Lieberman, MD
Christina Kratlian, MA
Access 4 Kids Co-Chairs
SOPTAccess4Kids@gmail.com
(Christina Kratlian is a fourth year medical student at Albany Medical College. She is the SOPT District II Medical Student District Representative and co-chair for the Access4Kids campaign.)