Advocacy

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Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics

Legislative/Policy Priority Issues – 2009/2010 (.pdf)

Ensure access to quality medical care for all children

  • Collaborate with the State to implement All Kids by supporting patient and provider enrollment, quality disease management and primary care case management programs, a strong referral and specialty care network, and incentive programs for providing quality care
  • Ensure appropriate and timely payment for all child health care providers
  • Seek support for primary care provider to become high quality medical homes by improving care coordination, increasing use of electronic health records, and other strategies
  • Seek funding for mental health services and consultation to primary care providers as outlined in the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership’s state plan
  • Increase access to dental homes for children by increasing funding for dental clinics and providers
  • Seek stronger regulation and oversight of retail health clinics to ensure that care is of high quality and coordinated with children’s medical homes

Improve care for young children with developmental delays and disabilities

  • Collaborate with the state Early Intervention program and legislative task force to improve access to therapies and other services, strengthen communication with families and medical home providers, and reduce barriers to quality services
  • Monitor implementation of the habilitative services law that requires insurers to cover medically indicated therapy for children born without specific skills such as those with autism spectrum disorders and other delays

Promote immunizations for all children

  • Support access to free and reduced-cost vaccines for children by expanding the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Plus program and encouraging provider participation in VFC and VFC Plus

Advance child health in Illinois schools

  • Support schools in offering age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education
  • Keep junk food and soft drinks out of schools and limit advertising for these items.
  • Continue to reform the physical education waiver process so that additional schools comply with the state’s daily physical education law

Safeguard children from injury and firearms

  • Mandate use of bicycle helmets for all riders 18 and under statewide
  • Close the universal background check loop hole by requiring private gun sales to be completed at the business of a federally licensed firearm dealer, who must then conduct a background check on the recipient
  • Require those with firearm owner identification cards (FOID) to immediately report the thief or loss of a firearm to the authorities
  • Strengthen storage of firearms laws to require that all firearms be stored safely in homes were any child is present regardless of whether the child used in the firearm to kill or injure someone.

Increase Literacy Rates in Illinois Children

  • Increase access to books, reading in the home and school readiness by sustaining and spreading Reach Out and Read, which makes literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care and increases young children’s vocabulary skills, through State endorsement and support

Rev 11-09 JAP/SGA

Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
1400 W. Hubbard, Suite 100
Chicago, IL 60642-8195
Voice 312/733-1026
Fax 312/733-1791
info@illinoisaap.com