Advocacy is important to the BCPS when it comes to the protection and promotion of child health and excellence in pediatric care.

Mental Health

Our work in the mental health advocacy project includes working with Board President, Mary Ann Beimers, on a "super-friends" initiative.  Mary Ann and other pediatricians have seen many children in their practices who are unable to make friends at school because of a serious mental illness.  Some schools do have "Friends" programs, but this program is aimed at all children and often is not effective for those with more serious barriers. The initial report has been done which confirmed the need for an intervention; we are now talking to school counselors about whether a particular program or another kind of intervention is needed.

We've also been partnering with the FORCE Society for Kids Mental Health, which is a parent led group whose mission is to promote and influence change in intervention and equality of care in children's mental health.  We participated in a FORCE focus group on Myths and Misconceptions (of the mental health system for children and youth) and we're looking forward to the recommendations that come out of those groups. 

We are also discussing treatment by the MCFD of children and youth with serious mental illnesses.  This conversation about concerns with this treatment (e.g. waitlists) is ongoing.

Immunization

We'll be releasing a new Immunization Schedule in the next couple of months, and then working to get that Schedule in the hands of gp's particularly.  We've received lots of feedback that gp's appreciate the schedule and look to pediatricians for leadership in this area.

Childhood Obesity

We're in the sustainability phase of SipSmart! BC, an educational program aimed at Grades 4-6 which seeks to decrease kids consumption of sugar sweetened beverages.  Tom Warshawski has led this initiative (which is funded by the BC Health Living Alliance and ActNowBC.   While the program officially finished at the end of the year, we hope to find funding to increase its reach.  If you're interested in this resource, you'll find it by clicking here.

Learning Disabilities

The Learning Disabilities Task Group, led by Roger Freeman, received a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics to hold two focus groups which will look at designation letters written by pediatricians to schools seeking needed education support for patients.  The first of the focus groups will meet in mid-September, with a goal to gain an understanding from the Ministry of Education and other experts about how the existing system works and how we can assist pediatricians to write more effective designation letters and keep up with changes to the regulations.

ADHD

The ADHD group is reforming after the meeting held in January 2010 (organized by Child Health BC).  The goals of this group are to:

• Develop or participate in the development of a PSP Module
• Promote development of improved billing opportunities for Family Physicians who see kids with ADHD
• Develop methods of engaging with Schools and MOE to facilitate assessment and treatment of kids
• Develop methods of engaging with families to facilitate assessment and treatment of kids with ADHD
• Develop methods of engaging with MCFD CYMH Teams to facilitate assessment and treatment of kids with ADHD
• Review of potential model for supporting assessment, treatment and management of kids with ADHD

Diabetes

The Diabetes group has as its goal to increase Pharmacare coverage of some long and short acting insulins.  They plan to meet early in 2011 and continue this work.

Be Involved!

We want to hear from you about issues you feel are important in the protection and promotion of child health and excellence in pediatric care. An integral part of advocacy is connecting, developing and nurturing relationships with others toward a common goal.

For more information and to suggest advocacy topics, please contact us.