United Hospital Fund Launches Pediatrics Learning Network to Help Address Health, Social Needs of Young Children In New York State

Thursday, September 24, 2020

United Hospital Fund Launches Pediatrics Learning Network to Help Address Health, Social Needs of Young Children In New York State

NEW YORK, NY—September 24, 2020—United Hospital Fund today launched a new program, the Pediatrics for an Equitable Developmental Start (PEDS) Learning Network, designed to boost healthy development, address unmet social needs, and strengthen the families of young children in New York State through primary care-based interventions.

The PEDS Learning Network will support pediatric practices in raising awareness of child health equity and the impact of early childhood development on lifelong health, and by helping share promising health care practices with providers and health plans across the state.

The program will also support a 15-month fellowship for physicians, nurses, and clinical social workers at the start of their careers, in order to nurture the next generation of clinical leaders. The first class of eight fellows, announced today, will receive mentoring, professional development opportunities, and support in implementing an equity-focused child health project. 

“The first few years of life are crucial in establishing a path toward better health and educational outcomes into adulthood,” said Suzanne Brundage, director of UHF’s Children’s Health Initiative. “Clinicians are on the frontlines of supporting families during the critical early years. The PEDS Learning Network aims to support them in advancing health equity for children by reducing the impact of systemic health care disparities, addressing parental stress, and providing meaningful interventions that promote optimal child development.” 

The Learning Network website also offers a number of resources for clinicians, including case studies that showcase the approaches of several New York pediatric practices to promoting child health equity in their daily work. 

The PEDS Learning Network is supported by Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. It is part of UHF’s Children’s Health Initiative, which also includes Partnerships for Early Childhood Development, a project started in 2017 that provides funding to help hospital-based, child-serving primary care practices partner with community-based social service organizations to address the social needs of young children and their families.

The newly named PEDS Fellows are:
•    Lauren Ciminelo, MD, Children’s Aid Society
•    Danielle Fleissig, MD, Jordan Health
•    Caroline Kirby, MD, University of Rochester Medical Center
•    Amelia Koethen, MsED, MHC, Albany Medical Center Pediatrics
•    Nancy Jade Lee, MD, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
•    Elaine Liebman, PsyD, Ryan Health
•    Jennifer Munoz, LCSW, Nassau University Medical Center
•    Sarah Jean Ventre, MD, John R. Oishei Children's Hospital

United Hospital Fund 
United Hospital Fund works to build a more effective health care system for every New Yorker. An independent, nonprofit organization, we analyze public policy to inform decision-makers, find common ground among diverse stakeholders, and develop and support innovative programs that improve the quality, accessibility, affordability, and experience of patient care. For more on our initiatives and programs please visit our website at www.uhfnyc.org and follow us on Twitter. 

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