Equity, Diversity and Anti-racism Committee

The committee is comprised of Chapter members who are passionate about these issues and would like to galvanize other Chapter members and local advocates to address racism in general but specifically through the profession of pediatrics.

Some recent activities include:

• NEW! MCAAP Meeting on June 4th with Chapter members outlining opportunities to get involved, Here is the presentation. Here is the video of the meeting.
• Sponsoring webinar series, “Helping Pediatricians to Address Structural Racism” on addressing structural racism. The Chapter will continue to sponsor these type of educational opportunities. Click here to access a recent webinar recording.
• Analyzing the Chapter’s demographics in relation to underrepresented and minority physicians. A strategy will be submitted to the board with a request that it is incorporated it into the overall strategic plan to ensure that there are ongoing efforts to make diversity inclusion a Chapter priority.
• Developing an MCAAP web page of national and regional resources to assist Chapter members in addressing racism with their patients and families.

The Chair of the Committee is Karen McAlmon, MD. For more information contact Cathleen Haggerty at chaggerty@mcaap.org.

MCAAP Anti-racism Initiative Roadmap 

The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP) is committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental and social health for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults through provision of quality health care and advocacy for all children and their families.

We are committed to addressing the factors that affect child and adolescent health with a focus on issues that may put some children at more risk than others. Racism in all its forms has devastating impacts on the health, development and well-being of children and families. We believe that we have a role in creating an anti-racist and equitable society, including addressing the health care system’s historical and current racist practices.

In order to live out the universal values of equity and justice and promote them in all places where pediatricians have influence, we of the MCAAP aim to increase equity, diversity, and inclusivity in our organization; increase awareness of racism’s impact on the health of children and their families; decrease bias in pediatric care; and work towards the identification and prevention of racism and its impact in all of the patients we care for.

As an organization, we resolve to intentionally engage in efforts to dismantle systemic racism in order to allow children to thrive and to support our members of color. This will include:

1. Increasing our organization’s equity, diversity, and inclusivity
2. Providing education on racial disparities, especially in health care, and anti-bias training
3. Improving the pediatric standard of care for addressing racism
4. Advocating legislative policies that combat racist policies and support racial equity

Our goal is to create an inclusive organization which acts as a partner in the greater work for equity and justice in our society. We will hold a critical lens to all our work in order to advocate for equity and justice. We realize that this will require long-lasting efforts and pledge that this will be an integral part of who we are as an organization and what we strive to become.

RESOURCES:

AAP Statements

The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health

‘Dismantle racism at every level’: AAP president

Police, Equity, and Child Health

Section on Minority Health, Equity, and Inclusion (SOMHEI)

MA Specific Resources and Educational Programs

MMS Black Women in Medicine Conference – 11/3/2021

Harvard University Everyday Discrimination Scale

8CantWait campaign

Physicians for #PoliceFreeSchools

Mass General Center for Diversity and Inclusion

MMS CME Series