Valley Children’s will also host the Health Care Disparities in the Central Valley panel discussion Thursday afternoon, featuring community leaders and stakeholders to discuss the unique challenges facing children in the Central Valley.

The discussion will feature Valley Children’s leadership as well as leadership from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regional chapter. Valley Children’s Chief of Pediatrics and Executive Director of Medical Education Dr. Jolie Limon will deliver a call to action and Chief Resident Dr. Janae Barker will give a health care disparities report. Both physicians attended April’s AAP Legislative Program in Washington, D.C.

The panel will explore the impact of these disparities from various vantage points – AAP, Fresno Community Food Bank, Fresno County Office of Education (FCOE) and UC Merced Health Sciences Research Institution among them. It will also discuss current and future solutions to address these issues. Valley Children’s Director of Community and Government Relations Tim Curley will moderate.

“Valley Children’s is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of all children throughout our service area,” says Mr. Curley. “The Residency Program will play an important role in that commitment as we work to measurably move the needle on some of the most important issues adversely impacting children’s health.”

The panel is part of the Residency Program’s Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI) Grant, which was awarded by the AAP last spring. The grant recognized the program’s desire to bolster advocacy training for residents, and it was given based on Valley Children’s desire to innovate, collaborate interprofessionally and create a culture of advocacy for the Valley’s underserved children.

“It is our network’s goal to advocate for the children in our communities, and it is the responsibility of our community leadership and each one of us to address the serious and potentially devastating situations facing those who cannot advocate for themselves,” Dr. Limon said. “Our Residency Program is extending this kind of opportunity to not only educate on the current state of our Valley, but also to impact the health outcomes of conditions that affect our kids.”