Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Uncategorized

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What is a work group?</h3>



The MNAAP work groups were formed as part of the chapter’s strategic priorities plan to address areas in which change or improvement would benefit the lives of Minnesota’s youth. During a work group meeting, members often identify opportunities for collaboration, potential projects to take on, or other ways to advocate for their cause. Email Bethany Venable (venable@mnaap.org) for more information.



Anti-Racism &amp; Disparities



The Anti-Racism &amp; Disparities work group is looking ahead to spring with plans to host a retreat to bring members together in an energizing session of planning and visioning. The group is also the chapter’s point of contact for a new contract initiated with the YWCA to help further embed diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion in the MNAAP culture and operations. The Anti-Racism &amp; Disparities Work Group next meeting is set for Monday, Dec. 11, from 12:15 to 1 p.m. via Zoom.



Early Childhood



It has been a monumental year for investment in the littlest Minnesotans, thanks in part, to all the MNAAP members who spoke up for children who can’t speak for themselves. Yet, all this positive change yields more opportunity and more work to do! This year, our chapter will have monthly meetings or lectures about the ways we can advocate at the policy level for prenatal to five health and investment. We will also talk about how we can bring important programming into our daily practice. Our next meeting is Oct. 27, at 12:10 p.m. via Zoom.&nbsp; If you believe in the power of the first 1,000 days to change a life course, then please join us!



Behavioral/Mental Health



The Behavioral/Mental Health work group continues to work on the Minnesota Pediatric Mental Health Access Program MOC 4 focused on depression screening in LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. We are looking forward to learning more about how we can have open, affirming screening and supportive conversations around mental health from the youth in our community partnerships. 



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MNAAP Work Group News | Fall 2023

<div id="attachment_4192" style="width: 160px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://www.mnaap.org/childrens-minnesota-opens-first-of-its-kind-imri-neurosurgery-suite-in-north-america/meysam_mb1/" rel="attachment wp-att-4192"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4192" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-4192" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/meysam_MB1-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>Dr. Meysam Kebriaei, Children&#8217;s Minnesota</div>
In my decade of service as a pediatric neurosurgeon at Children’s Minnesota, I have performed more than 1,400 procedures on fetal patients, children and adolescents with diagnoses such as epilepsy, brain and spine tumors, and traumatic brain injuries. No matter the diagnosis or procedure, I’ve learned several factors remain the same when it comes to delivering consistent positive patient outcomes. Those critical factors are the clinical expertise of a multi-disciplinary team, partnering throughout the continuum of care, and having the technology at our disposal to care for patients.
In March 2023, Children’s Minnesota debuted a gamechanger in intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) technology. That’s when the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundat ion iMRI Surgical Suite – the first facility of its kind in North America – opened at our Minneapolis hospital. If you’re wondering what makes this 2,970 square-foot, three-room neurosurgery suite the only one of its kind on the continent – it’s the first pediatric hybrid iMRI suite equipped with both moving-scanner and moving-patient MRI technology in the same surgical space. Now, Children’s Minnesota’s neurosciences program and radiology department use the facility to perform both brain and total spine scans mid-procedure directly at the point of care.
<a href="http://www.mnaap.org/childrens-minnesota-opens-first-of-its-kind-imri-neurosurgery-suite-in-north-america/imri-8221/" rel="attachment wp-att-4193"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-large wp-image-4193" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/iMRI-8221-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /></a>The iMRI suite’s design allows experts to seamlessly move a 16,200-pound MRI scanner directly from the facility’s diagnostic room into one of the space’s neurosurgery operating rooms via a ceiling-mounted rail system. The floorplan also allows patients in the suite’s second operating room to be moved next door into the diagnostic room for a mid-procedure MRI. Its design also allows procedures to take place in both operating rooms as the scanner is being used in the diagnostic room simultaneously. Simply put, the iMRI suite enhances how my team makes important decisions at the point of care before a patient’s incision is closed. For example, if a mid-procedure scan detects additional tumors, our team can develop a plan in real-time to remove the remaining cancerous tissue. This crucial process will help prevent additional procedures for many of our patients and maximize their chances for a good outcome. The strength of the MRI scanner in the suite, measured in the unit of Tesla (T), is also a significant upgrade. The suite’s 3T MRI scanner, compared to 1.5T or smaller scanners at other medical facilities, makes a major difference in the quality of each scan used to locate and remove remaining cancerous tissue. I often compare the clarity of our new facility’s 3T scanner to watching an ultra-high-definition TV rather than a standard TV.
To date, our team has performed more than a dozen procedures in this state-of-the-art facility. The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation iMRI Surgical Suite – which shares its namesake with the philanthropic foundation that generously committed a $5.5 million lead gift to the facility – is another arrow in our quiver to provide the best care possible at Children’s Minnesota.
If you would like to refer a patient or connect with a Children’s Minnesota kid expert 24/7, call the Children’s Minnesota Physician Access line at 866-755-2121.
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This information was provided by Children&#8217;s Minnesota, a MNAAP annual sponsor.

Children’s Minnesota Opens First-of-its-Kind iMRI Neurosurgery Suite in North America

Engaging in advocacy activities can feel daunting for a medical school student or pediatric resident. From choosing an advocacy topic, to setting up meetings with legislators or collaborative partners, to following the progress of related policies and proposed bills – there is a lot to consider. For two MNAAP members, participating in a newly formed scholarship helped them navigate their advocacy experiences in a way that each says was rewarding and inspiring.
<div id="attachment_4188" style="width: 160px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://www.mnaap.org/scholarship-inspires-advocacy-and-action-for-inaugural-recipients/wendy-sun-headshot/" rel="attachment wp-att-4188"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4188" class="wp-image-4188 size-thumbnail" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Wendy-Sun-headshot-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>Dr. Wendy Sun</div>
<div id="attachment_4187" style="width: 160px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://www.mnaap.org/scholarship-inspires-advocacy-and-action-for-inaugural-recipients/sarah-swenson-headshot/" rel="attachment wp-att-4187"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4187" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-4187" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Sarah-Swenson-Headshot-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>Dr. Sarah Swenson</div>
Dr. Wendy Sun and Dr. Sarah Swenson are the inaugural recipients of the Eric Dick Advocacy Scholarship. The scholarship formed when a MNAAP board member wanted to honor longtime chapter lobbyist, Eric Dick, after his sudden passing in January of 2021. Eric was deeply committed to improving the health and wellbeing of every child in Minnesota and he not only personally fought for policies to achieve this goal, but also engaged so many beyond himself in the legislative process. The Eric Dick Memorial Advocacy Scholarship is awarded annually to one or more fellows, residents, medical students or trainees each year to engage in legislative advocacy projects aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of children in Minnesota – particularly those focused on eliminating health disparities. 
Drs. Sun and Swenson took different approaches to their advocacy projects but found the support from the chapter provided an important foundation to engage in the work as champions for their causes.
Dr. Sun is a pediatric resident who says she has always been interested in advocacy work and was looking for an advocacy mentor when MNAAP Treasurer Janna Gewirtz O’Brien encouraged her to apply for the scholarship. 
“Advocacy is something that has brought me a lot of meaning in my work on top of my clinical work. In our clinic work we aren’t always able to address the higher systems that create disparities for our patients,” said Dr. Sun.
After meeting virtually with MNAAP leadership and receiving an orientation about the legislative process, Dr. Sun was able to zero in on school-based mental health as her area of interest. Chapter lobbyist Chad Fahning played a role in helping connect her with the issue, which was already receiving attention at the Capitol. It was a particularly meaningful topic, she said, because school-based mental health services are a good way to address disparities. It can remove the financial barrier or the challenge of taking time out of a work or school day for an appointment. In her work at Hennepin Healthcare she said she often sees teens who need mental health help, but they have parents with a stigma or a cultural concern about mental health services.
“I see kids hanging on by a thread and the first thing I say is, ‘where do you go to school?’ to see how I can connect them with school-based mental health services,” explained Dr. Sun. 
As part of her advocacy project, Dr. Sun was able to meet with Senator Erin Maye Quade and Representative Robert Bierman. She voiced support for HF564, which allocates 25 percent of new funding to target providers that can serve schools that have high special education or a high rate of families experiencing poverty, especially in rural and urban settings. She also learned how to prepare a testimony and be ready to present if the opportunity arose. 
Dr. Sun says even though the work for her project is complete, she wants to build on the connections she formed with other mental health advocates to address systemic issues. It left her energized to stay involved in advocacy work: “I’ve been asking myself – what’s the next step?” she said.
For Dr. Sarah Swenson, she knows exactly when and where her advocacy interests took root. As a teen, she was a hospital volunteer and saw firsthand the importance of perinatal mental health support for families of babies in the NICU. She witnessed the strain having a baby in the NICU for an extended stay can have on parents, affecting their ability to be present for their child and preserve their own mental health. A stay in the NICU can be a potentially traumatic event for families, she said.
“I saw the scholarship and thought, ‘what an opportunity to receive some mentorship so I can move things from bothering me to addressing them,’ “ she said. Dr. Swenson reached out to MNAAP Policy Co-Chair Hannah Lichtsinn, MD, FAAP. Dr. Lichtsinn helped Dr. Swenson work through her ideas about perinatal mental health to refine a potential solution for the problem she was seeing in the families of her NICU patients. 
Dr. Swenson focused her advocacy scholarship project on initiating policy change that would allow for a Medicaid waiver in which out-of-state-parents who traveled to Minnesota to receive NICU services for their children could be screened for mental health services themselves and receive care while they are in Minnesota. Insurance and financial barriers are often the reason a referred family member does not following through to treatment for their perinatal mental health. 
Such a shift in policy requires a long-term approach, but she says she’s made some good connections so far to help continue the conversation even after this legislative session (and the term of the advocacy scholarship project) are over. “I got connected with the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and NAMI. I’m planning to meet and collaborate with Sen. Bonnie Westlin to see if we could do something like a resolution or form a task force to better understand perinatal mental health needs in the state,” explained Dr. Swenson. 
When asked if they would encourage interested residents or medical students to apply for the next round of Eric Dick Advocacy Scholarships, both Drs. Sun and Swenson gave a heartfelt endorsement of the program. 
“I am 100% biased,” laughed Dr. Sun, “but absolutely. Interested people should apply. As trainees, we are digging out of the pandemic hole, and now we are so much more aware of the systemic problems that exist. This is a way to address those issues.”
Dr. Swenson pointed out that the scholarship is a great way to move past any self-imposed barriers. 
“I would tell a scholarship recipient: imposter syndrome can be a barrier to trying to do this type of work and trying to do new things like advocacy. So although there are barriers such as time, or confidence, or knowledge to doing this type of work, I would encourage people to pursue it and not let that get in the way. There are great mentors who can help you. You don’t have to be an expert in policy to try and make meaningful change that affects the health and wellbeing of your patients and families.”
The Eric Dick Memorial Advocacy Scholarship is fully funded for the next round of interested participants. The application link will be shared in an upcoming All Member Email from the chapter. 
<hr />
<div id="attachment_2975" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://www.mnaap.org/unusual-legislative-session-leads-to-unique-election-season/eric-head-shot-2018-1/" rel="attachment wp-att-2975"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2975" class="size-medium wp-image-2975" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Eric-Head-Shot-2018-1-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>Late MNAAP Lobbyist Eric Dick</div>
<h3 class="p1">Consider Giving to the Eric Dick Memorial Scholarship</h3>
The Eric Dick Memorial Scholarship was seeded with a generous, 10-year financial commitment from a MNAAP board member who wanted to see Eric’s legacy continued through the members of the MNAAP.
Eric worked tirelessly to advocate on behalf of Minnesota’s children and teens, and was passionate about helping medical students and early career physicians learn the ropes of legislative advocacy.
We invite you to consider contributing to the scholarship fund in order to help many more recipients to benefit from training and support as they launch their own advocacy projects.
To give, you can visit the Foundation’s webpage at <a href="http://www.mnaap.org/mapf/">mnaap.org/mapf</a> and click the donate button, or mail a check, made payable to the Minnesota Academy of Pediatrics Foundation, to the address below. Please include “Eric Dick Memorial Advocacy Scholarship” in the memo line.
Minnesota Academy of Pediatrics Foundation
c/o Jeff Bauer, Executive Director
1609 County Road 42 W. #305
Burnsville, MN 55306

Scholarship Inspires Advocacy and Action for Inaugural Recipients

<a href="http://www.mnaap.org/moc4-cohort-examines-teen-mental-health-screening-process-to-improve-experience/pexels-monstera-7114755/" rel="attachment wp-att-4183"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4183" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-monstera-7114755-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>The first cohort of the Minnesota Pediatric Mental Health Access Program MOC4 project is underway, having gathered via Zoom for its launch meeting in early May. 
The project, which is made possible with grant funding provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), aims to improve the mental health screening and referral process for BIPOC and LGBTQ adolescents. 
Integration of mental and behavioral health services into the pediatric primary care setting offers opportunity to increase access to culturally-relevant behavioral and mental health services and decrease barriers to care, especially those faced by children and youth from underserved racial, ethnic, geographic and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender backgrounds. MNAAP is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to provide the training to enrolled providers and clinics. 
Five clinics are participating in the MOC4 module that runs through August: CentraCare, Essentia Health, St. Luke’s, MHealth Fairview in Blaine, and Allina in Eagan. As part of the project, providers and clinic staff will collect data about current adolescent mental health screening and referral practices. 
Objectives of the MOC4 include: 
Increase provider/clinic rates of mental health or depression screening (using MDH identified screening tools) among patients 12-20 years of age attending Child &amp; Teen Checkups or preventive health visits, particularly in rural or underserved areas of the state.
Increase the rate of documented consultation visits or referrals to mental health professional supports and services for those patients who screen positive for mental health concerns.
Increase the rate of documented completed follow-up by type (primary care based mental health/behavioral health services, community-based mental health/behavioral health services, or other) for those patients who screen positive for mental health concerns.
Document the comments from participating providers/clinicians uncovered in the audits related to gaps, barriers or lost to follow-up concerns
Two webinars will be presented to the group: the first will feature pediatricians with expertise in providing care and facilitating mental health support for BIPOC and LGBTQ patients; the second will be presented by members of a youth advisory council who will offer their own feedback about the mental health process. 
The youth leader component of the project is essential, explained MNAAP Executive Director Jeff Bauer: “The youth voice will be centered in this project. We are seeking improvements to the process for BIPOC and LGBTQ youth and the point is for them to feel safe, seen, and supported.” 
According to Minnesota Community Measurement, half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition among young people, particularly BIPOC and LGBTQI+ youth. But many young people are never treated &#8211; or not until they’re in crisis. As cohort members introduced themselves during the first meeting, many commented on how excited they were to begin the work of addressing adolescent mental health &#8212; saying it was a much needed focus for their patients and families.
Community partners for the project include Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Family Partnership, and Rainbow Health. The Psychiatric Assistance Line (PAL) is also participating. Psychiatric Assistance Line (PAL) provides free consultative and referral services for medical providers in Minnesota. Through the PAL program, Minnesota medical providers receive triaged consultation and referrals for patients who experience mental and emotional health issues.  A goal outcome of the project is to enhance the quality and reach of the PAL program. 
Physicians participating in the MOC4 project can receive up to 25 MOC4 credits, and each participating clinic receives $4,000 to support quality improvement-related activities. A second cohort will form in the fall. If you are interested in learning more about participating in the next cohort, email MNAAP Executive Director Jeff Bauer at <a href="mailto:bauer@mnaap.org">bauer@mnaap.org</a>.

MOC4 Cohort Examines Teen Mental Health Screening Process to Improve Experience

As the school calendar winds down, many Minnesota children and teens will soon find themselves with more time to enjoy outside play and recreation. Physical activity is beneficial to the health and development of Minnesota&#8217;s youth, but some activities can carry greater risks than others. Consider sharing these helpful resources (or others from <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0018oS8eNq6jzFHPL44zh6QOxyr-SiEL19JU4dY166aLGaUPJlFZGmN_rZ4pm-FcSIn8MFZxHJbECO4ktWA3rO5Ub34jiUSemyXVN63XvZIsKq4ZIZWjtJOkWYDGbD0iq47NNyxsRkkTUfBIdrn8sVX2eSATTOjqsxD90NDaFDRiv6f4pHLBsDYC9ppc84z2PDPmHEB9mgy8dKjfa8ovV_klsHhB9gTjCmhSaCjMV2a2ao=&amp;c=disqCSNDBws7knCwxK6MkzguVWPN-UNWDWKfANem2L293A61JwrVJQ==&amp;ch=PabJKQELEcKRUo_-gjkn4wrhiaxPGUraOLTa6LaM4UScGMkywBh61A==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0018oS8eNq6jzFHPL44zh6QOxyr-SiEL19JU4dY166aLGaUPJlFZGmN_rZ4pm-FcSIn8MFZxHJbECO4ktWA3rO5Ub34jiUSemyXVN63XvZIsKq4ZIZWjtJOkWYDGbD0iq47NNyxsRkkTUfBIdrn8sVX2eSATTOjqsxD90NDaFDRiv6f4pHLBsDYC9ppc84z2PDPmHEB9mgy8dKjfa8ovV_klsHhB9gTjCmhSaCjMV2a2ao%3D%26c%3DdisqCSNDBws7knCwxK6MkzguVWPN-UNWDWKfANem2L293A61JwrVJQ%3D%3D%26ch%3DPabJKQELEcKRUo_-gjkn4wrhiaxPGUraOLTa6LaM4UScGMkywBh61A%3D%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1686148520191000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3FeSqiR-Xbv5NTESAsSG1j">HealthyChildren.org</a>) with patients and families when discussing summer plans.
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</ul>
All children, regardless of physical abilities, deserve to enjoy summer play. MNAAP annual sponsor Gillette Children&#8217;s has created <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0018oS8eNq6jzFHPL44zh6QOxyr-SiEL19JU4dY166aLGaUPJlFZGmN_rZ4pm-FcSInJA-V1DQxTMMMRFXqIJRaIMoXOu8Ft-JdQoQLXIeMcHDQb5AwjmHrNzTDGlPoEijLcjwjvSC0SBf7kzBHqgluIjcVuiSkDWsoUcbj0X3L3nUd3UvS_PRciw6eRlNLQxhFnPafU38XXiCckmNi11jlP6Iq2sRSe4qyb1EuckOhFini4lqTEmmYyuLa4rZWniAH4QP7DAutKpUNIcEMOOzmjru8Qo9o5gSqRzUj1y8MgYo=&amp;c=disqCSNDBws7knCwxK6MkzguVWPN-UNWDWKfANem2L293A61JwrVJQ==&amp;ch=PabJKQELEcKRUo_-gjkn4wrhiaxPGUraOLTa6LaM4UScGMkywBh61A==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0018oS8eNq6jzFHPL44zh6QOxyr-SiEL19JU4dY166aLGaUPJlFZGmN_rZ4pm-FcSInJA-V1DQxTMMMRFXqIJRaIMoXOu8Ft-JdQoQLXIeMcHDQb5AwjmHrNzTDGlPoEijLcjwjvSC0SBf7kzBHqgluIjcVuiSkDWsoUcbj0X3L3nUd3UvS_PRciw6eRlNLQxhFnPafU38XXiCckmNi11jlP6Iq2sRSe4qyb1EuckOhFini4lqTEmmYyuLa4rZWniAH4QP7DAutKpUNIcEMOOzmjru8Qo9o5gSqRzUj1y8MgYo%3D%26c%3DdisqCSNDBws7knCwxK6MkzguVWPN-UNWDWKfANem2L293A61JwrVJQ%3D%3D%26ch%3DPabJKQELEcKRUo_-gjkn4wrhiaxPGUraOLTa6LaM4UScGMkywBh61A%3D%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1686148520191000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VyZ6kZPz3BQfwUWtna4E-">this map of inclusive playgrounds</a> around the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. Accessible playgrounds are created to be inclusive to children of different abilities. Including features for children with physical and developmental disabilities, such as wheelchair-accessible swings, sensory stimulating equipment, and safety features.

Pass on to Families: Summer Activity Resources and Reminders

Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital is seeking a board certified/board eligible outpatient Pediatric Physician to join our busy and growing primary care clinic practice. Grand Itasca is a fully integrated multi-specialty clinic and hospital located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Pediatric Physician

Partners in Pediatrics, Ltd. is seeking a full time BC/BE Pediatrician. The standard work week for a full-time pediatrician is 4 days a week plus a rotation of nights and weekends. Night and weekend shifts are shared equally among all providers. The salary package is competitive. You will have paid time off (PTO) and be given a CME allowance as well as CME days to further your medical education. We offer health, dental, disability and life insurance. You will also be eligible for a lucrative profit sharing 401(k). For inquiries, please contact our recruiting leads, Dr. Lisa Irvin at lirvin@pipstop.com and Dr. Megan Camerino at mcarmerino@pipstop.com

BC/BE Pediatrician

We’re excited to announce an opening for a Communications Manager at the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP). This part-time, remote role is a unique opportunity for a communications professional with at least five years of experience, who is passionate about advancing child health through advocacy, education, and special projects.

Uncategorized Updates

MNAAP Work Group News | Fall 2023

Children’s Minnesota Opens First-of-its-Kind iMRI Neurosurgery Suite in North America

Scholarship Inspires Advocacy and Action for Inaugural Recipients

MOC4 Cohort Examines Teen Mental Health Screening Process to Improve Experience

Pass on to Families: Summer Activity Resources and Reminders