June 2018

Dear NYS AAP – Chapter 2 Member,

May and June are busy months for our Chapter, with lots of important news to relate. Please check the Chapter 2 website frequently, as new events, initiatives, valuable practice management information, and links to articles are regularly posted.

Steven J. Goldstein, MD, FAAP

President, NYS AAP – Chapter 2

On May 17th our newly formed Chapter 2 and 3 Firearm Injury and Gun Violence Prevention Committee met at Cohen Children’s Medical Center. There were over 30 attendees from both Chapters, including students, parents, residents, and attending physicians. Jeff Ostreicherfrom Chapter 2 and Nina Agrawal of Chapter 3 will co-chair this joint endeavor. Four working groups are planned: Legislative Advocacy, Research and Education, Grassroots, and Media Outreach. If you would like to help, click Jeff and Nina’s names above to email them.

On June 7th the Chapter is sponsoring an informal Wellness Event: Stress Reduction for Pediatricians, at the Douglaston Club in Little Neck. There will be a gourmet vegetarian dinner, an introduction to yoga led by Dr. Ron Marino, and a talk on stress reduction by Dr. Peter Nieman of Calgary, Alberta. I had the opportunity to hear Peter speak last year at the AAP District I & II Annual Meeting in Vermont – his advice is worth hearing. The evening is free for Chapter 2 members and Chapter 3 members can attend for a reduced fee thanks to a generous grant from MLMIC. It promises to be a great evening.

Another joint initiative for Chapters 2 and 3 will focus on Immigrant Health. We oppose separation of children from their parents at the border. We oppose losing 1,500 of those children.

We are working to create safe spaces for immigrant children to obtain quality pediatric healthcare and oppose the dehumanizing of any group. Take a look at the AAP’s stance on this issue: http://www.aappublications.org/news/2018/05/08/immigration050818

Please contact Laurie Gordon at lsg9004@nyp.org if you would like to work with the Chapters on this issue.

On June 14 there will be a Families Belong Together march and candlelight vigil in Huntington, Long Island to protest the separation of children from their parents at the US border. Chapter 2 is a sponsor of this event and invites all our members to attend this vigil or others planned for the metropolitan region. The Huntington location is the Northwest corner of Park Avenue and Main Street in Huntington Village at 7 pm on June 14.

AAP President Dr. Colleen Kraft’s op-ed on this subject can be found here.

Congratulations to Chapter 2 Vice President, Dr. Shetal Shah, and all who worked on and attended the May 23rd vote of the Nassau County Legislature, where a bill that we worked on for the last 10 years passed unanimously. This important bill raises the age to purchase tobacco and related products, including e-cigarettes, to 21. Nassau County will finally join Suffolk County and all of NYC in complying with Tobacco 21. This is a big win for our Chapter and the children we care for!

Drs. Mary Cataletto and Robert Lee received a grant from the AAP Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence for Dr. Karen Wilson to speak with NYU Winthrop Hospital, Chapter 2, and Nassau Pediatric Society attendees about e-cigarettes, secondhand smoke, vaping and JUULing and how to address these issues in the office.

A free dinner lecture will be held on June 18th at NYU Winthrop Hospital.

You should have received a Chapter Needs Assessment Survey that will assist us in creating a new Chapter 2 Strategic Plan.  Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts, help us serve your needs, and enter our Amazon gift card giveaway.

If you are interested in joining a NY State multi-Chapter Committee to craft strategies to deal with the opioid crisis, help develop and make available educational materials for pediatricians, learn how to use SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment), and learn about other addiction related issues, please contact our Executive Director, Jessica Geslani, at jgeslani@aap.org.

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Juan Kupferman, our Membership Chair, will head our new Diversity and Inclusion initiative. Juan is already working on this issue and if you would like to learn more or assist him, email him at kupferjc@gmail.com

Please periodically check the Pediatric Council section of our website to view new advisories from the National AAP. The most recent post deals with a billing problem at Anthem-Blue Cross.

In addition, the Chapter can help you in addressing your billing and practice management issues. Outline the problem in an email to us at jgeslani@aap.org.

The Officers of Chapter 2 welcome your feedback, thoughts, suggestions, and constructive criticism.  Please see our email addresses below to contact us.

Follow us on Twitter: @NYSAAPCh2

Follow Steve Goldstein on Twitter: @SteveGoldstei10

With our best wishes for a healthy and productive summer!

My best,

Steve Goldstein, Chapter President SJG34@Cornell.edu

and the Officers:

Shetal Shah, Vice President shetaldoc@hotmail.com

Robert Lee, Secretary rlee@aap.net

Sara Kopple, Treasurer sarakopple@gmail.com