Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family News

Quarterly E-News: July 2021

Pediatric Practice of the Future is Growing and Thriving
In partnership with primary care and families, the Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family developed a new care model—the Pediatric Practice of the Future—to ensure all children are healthy and ready to learn, with adequate support to thrive, by five years old. The care model was developed using Human Centered Design methods, highlighting families’ goals and priorities for their health care. 

Curbside Care for Moms and Babies is One of BMC Pediatrics’ Newest Innovations in Care Delivery
Curbside Care for Moms and Babies provides comprehensive mother-infant dyadic care during the first six weeks of life on Boston Medical Center’s Mobile Unit—at the curb! Often called “the fourth trimester,” the first six weeks of life are a critical period of time for mothers and babies setting the stage for future health outcomes. However, 40 percent of mothers at BMC never return for a post-partum appointment for themselves.

Partnering with Families to Meet Economic Goals
As the Center team developed the Practice of the Future model, economic well-being was a theme families elevated as an important way health care could support them. As such, one of the core components of the model is an embedded financial coach who has training in financial topics as well as behavior change and who is a core part of the care team. Stefany Araujo, the financial coach, is available to meet with families in the clinic when they visit for primary care, and remotely through phone calls and telehealth. During financial coaching, the client/parent meets one-on-one with the coach, either short- or long-term. The coach’s role is to help the parent identify their financial goals and to provide support and education in reaching these goals.

Welcome to the Center Team! 
The Center is delighted to welcome our Deputy Director of Practice Transformation, Anita Morris, MSN, FNP-BC, and a leader in our evaluation work, Chris Sheldrick, PhD.

Quarterly E-News: December 2020

Pediatric Practice of the Future Update: Pilot Underway 
In partnership with primary care and our families, the Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family (CUCHF) developed a new care model—the Pediatric Practice of the Future—that ensures all children are healthy and ready to learn, with adequate support to thrive, by five years old. 

Spotlight on Innovation in Pediatrics: Mobile Unit Launched to Ensure Families Have Access to Care in the Face of COVID-19 
Amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic, families seen at the Department of Pediatrics were particularly susceptible to the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. Many families who receive their care at Boston Medical Center, particularly those with very young children, were weighing the costs and benefits of potentially exposing themselves and their children to the virus in order to visit the hospital for essential vaccines. 

"The Science, Practice and Narrative of Thriving Families": BMC Pediatrics Awarded Grant to Support Joint Efforts of the Center and Children’s HealthWatch 
In May 2020, the Department of Pediatrics was awarded a three-year grant from The JPB Foundation. Together, Children’s HealthWatch and the Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family are implementing a three-pronged approach—coordinating across research, practice innovation and community narrative building—to support families’ ability to thrive.

Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family Evaluating the Impact of Innovative Initiative in Pediatric Treatment of Asthma 
Asthma is a disease that disproportionately affects children from marginalized communities and is a major source of health care costs for our pediatric primary care patients. Children in the communities we serve (such as Mattapan, Roxbury and Dorchester) have rates of emergency department (ED) visits for asthma that are two to three times that of children who live in wealthier communities in Boston. 

Announcing Spring 2020 Alpert Award Grantees 
The Joel and Barbara Alpert Endowment for Children of the City was established at Boston University School of Medicine in honor of the work carried out by the Alperts over their 25 years with Boston City Hospital, Boston Medical Center and the Boston University medical community. 

Quarterly E-News: August 2019

Changing the Care Paradigm: Focusing on Resilient Family Development 
The Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family is working with a local firm to design the Pediatric Practice of the Future model, which will ensure all children are healthy and ready to learn by age five.

Center Publishes Second Installment of Bi-Annual Report 
The latest report highlights progress around key initiatives, including the creation of the Pediatric Practice of the Future and evaluation of clinical programs.

News and Upcoming Events 
Check out the latest happenings at the Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family!

Quarterly E-News: March 2019

Grant from The Boston Foundation Facilitates Innovative Partnership 
A new partnership between The Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family, the Vital Village Network and Economic Mobility Pathways will focus on addressing children’s needs and achieving optimal health. 

18 Recommendations for Implementing Trauma-Informed Approaches in Pediatrics
The Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family creates list of trauma-informed approaches to care to help children who have experienced traumatic events. 

Moving Forward the Pediatric Practice of the Future: What We’re Learning from Families 
New partnership with Agncy is helping the Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family better understand what needs to be done systematically to build the Pediatric Practice of the Future. 

Quarterly E-News: December 2018

EASE Clinic Forging New Relationships with Schools and Families 
The Center’s focus on partnerships with school systems in the community is allowing pediatricians to become stronger champions of patients’ educational plans.

Families Visiting BMC from Across the State to Receive Care: Center Maps Pediatric Patient Panel 
The Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family has begun mapping its pediatric primary care families by zip code in order to better understand the families it serves.

Pediatric Family Advisory Board is Active in Community Events 
Boston Medical Center’s Pediatric Family Advisory Board working collaboratively with Pediatrics, providing input about care, and is engaging families across the hospital and in the community. 

Moving Forward the Pediatric Practice of the Future: Using Human Centered Design to Elevate the Voices of Families
The Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family and the Department of Pediatrics are leading efforts to build the Pediatric Practice of the Future through fundamental systems change—creating and scaling novel health delivery approaches, and working with families, inter-disciplinary colleagues, communities and other family-serving sectors.