Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Mission

Our Vision: We promote health and wellness for all children, adolescents, and families and advance equitable, evidence-based, collaborative approaches to pediatric care.

Our Mission: We champion the health and well-being of children, adolescents, and families through advocacy, education, and partnership.

Description

You can count on us
As a statewide nonprofit, the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (WCAAP) works with our community to improve pediatric care and to ensure state policies advance the health of Washington children, adolescents, and families. WCAAP's expertise, partnerships, and commitment to results allow us to impact child health day after day, year after year.

WCAAP responds to community needs

• We educate state decision-makers about the behavioral health crisis children and youth have suffered and inform efforts to address this crisis. Whether supporting clinics directly or securing state funding for evidence-based programs, we know that behavioral health is the #1 concern of many families and providers - and we're working hard to develop innovative solutions. 
• Our First Action Skills Training - Behavior program developed by two doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital, foscuses on brief, evidence-based intervention for youth/families with common mental health problems. Program topics include: anxiety, depression, supporting teens, early childhood, trauma and behavior.
• We listen to and encourage families to vaccinate against preventable diseases - especially families of color and other communities who lack access or face barriers - by providing families with reliable information and support, and healthcare providers with resources and education around culturally competent care.

WCAAP fights for strong, healthy families

• We joined forces with partners in child health to form WA Child Health Improvement Improvement Partnerships which supports clinics across the state in outreach to patients due for vaccines and identify missed opportunities to vaccinate in the clinic to improve care. 
• State policies can have a deep impact on family financial well-being. WCAAP voices helped to pass a Working Families Tax Credit, diaper subsidy for families in need, Paid Family and Medical Leave, and expanded free lunch programs. 

Our impact

1200+	WCAAP members - primary care pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists, advanced practice providers, residents, students, retired providers, allied health, and more!
116	Cities and towns across Washington
32,500+	Children and teens reached by clinics in our 2023 WA-CHIP immunization learning collaborative
13%	Average reduction in missed opportunities to vaccinate in learning collaborative clinic in 2024
200+	Active WCAAP advocates contacting legislators to speak up for kids and families

Our work is not done 

Ensuring children access to the high quality pediatric care and advancing their health and well-being is an ongoing journey. WCAAP helps our state improve health outcomes for the 1.6 million children living in WA.

Recognition

We are honored by the support of many individual donors and the following organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, Americas Foundation, Cambia Health, Island County Public Health, Within Reach, Tulalip Tribe Charitable Fund, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Wellpoint, Nesholm Family Foundation, Olympia Federal Savings Bank, American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy People 2030, Seattle Children's Hospital, Murdock Charitable Trust, Washington State Department of Health

We are grateful for the dedication and support of our Board of Trustees:

James Polo, MD, MBA, FAAP, Seattle	Tsering Lhewa, MD, FAAP - Vancouver
Frank Bell, MD, FAAP - Seattle	Maithri Sarangam, MD, FAAP - Seattle
Cicely White, MD - Spokane	Anna Snyder, MD, FAAP - Yakima
Stacey Tarango, MD, FAAP - Spokane	Jasmin Zavala, MD, FAAP - Seattle
Beth Ebel, MD, MSc, MPH, FAAP	Charles Christian Anderson, MD - Spokane/Tacoma
Meghan Colleran, ARNP - Yakima	Violeta Tregoning, DO - Gray's Harbor
Cora Breuner, MD, MPH, FAAP - Seattle	Michael Van Dyke, DO, FAAP - Spokane
Yolanda Evans, MD, MPH, FAAP - Seattle	Julian Ayer, MD, FAAP - Tacoma
Emily Ferrell, MD, FAAP - Seattle	Kenisha Campbell, MD, FAAP - Seattle
Maria Huang, MD, FAAP - Olympia	Meeka Gandhi, MD, FAAP - Seattle
Harbir Juj, MD, FAAP - Tacoma	Julian Ayer, MD, FAAP - Tacoma
CJ Koozer, DO, MHA, FAAP - Yakima