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Community Pediatrics
Numerous public health issues are affecting families in our community at the local, state and national levels. For example, high rates of asthma, overweight and obesity and mental illness have proliferated in communities across the state and the nation, especially poor and low-income communities. While there are a host of reasons for the growth of chronic diseases, it is only through public and private partnerships that these problems can be solved. The Hospital promotes and also advocates for the replication of some of its premier community programs in partnership with Community Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center.
Center for Best Practices in Childhood Obesity PreventionThe Center for Best Practices works with community leaders in Northern Manhattan and the Komansky Center for Children's Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent childhood obesity through broad-based education, creation of an environment conducive to being physically active and eating well, and engagement of key stakeholders. Health Education Adult Literacy (HEAL)
HEAL is a health literacy initiative that aims to decrease medication errors that result from miscommunication between health care providers and the patients and families they treat. The program targets pediatric patients seen at the Hospital's Ambulatory Care Network and clients at Alianza Dominicana's Best Beginnings program. Healthy Schools Healthy Families (HSHF)
HSHF is a school-based program in which health professionals at both Morgan Stanley Childen's Hospital and the Komansky Center for Children's Health partner with school staff and community organizations to assess the health needs of children and families, and to mobilize resources to address those needs. The program reaches over 5000 children in seven public elementary schools in Northern Manhattan and addresses a diverse set of issues including immunizations, mental health and obesity prevention. Lang Youth Medical Program
The Lang Youth Medical Program is a six-year science enrichment and mentoring program for promising middle school students to help these young people realize their full potential in the disciplines of health sciences. Every week, participating students from the Washington Heights neighborhood attend classes at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read is a national hospital-based literacy-promotion program for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Since 1997, the program has enabled pediatricians and health care providers here to "prescribe" and give out over 100,000 books to 45,000 economically disadvantaged children. During primary health care visits, volunteers read books to children in waiting areas. WIN (Washington Heights-Inwood Network) for Asthma
The WIN for Asthma targets children with poorly controlled asthma and coordinates services for them, including home visits, environmental assessments,and school and community-based educational workshops. The program is a collaboration between health care providers, the Medical Center and community agencies and aims to achieve better asthma management, fewer missed school days, and reduced hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Residency Training Program
The training program in community pediatrics aims to broaden pediatric residency education to ensure that all residents acquire the knowledge, skills,and attitudes that will enable them to work effectively as life-long advocates and health care providers in partnership with the community.
