AAP News

University of New Mexico Doctor Honored for Work at Young Children's Health Center in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., March 7 PRNewswire — The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently honored University of New Mexico pediatrician Lance Chilton, MD, FAAP, for his work with the Young Children's Health Center (YCHC) in Albuquerque, N.M. Dr. Chilton's work grew out of an AAP CATCH Planning Fund grant. Awarded on a competitive basis each year, CATCH (Community Access to Child Health) is a national AAP program designed to increase access and improve the quality of medical care for children across the United States.

"The CATCH Program exemplifies the commitment of the AAP and pediatricians nationwide to improving American children's access to quality healthcare," said AAP President Jay E. Berkelhamer, MD, FAAP. "We are inspired by this year's award-winners and proud to support these visionary pediatricians and their ongoing efforts to enhance children's healthcare."

Dr. Lance Chilton is a staff pediatrician at the Young Children's Health Center (YCHC), part of the University of New Mexico health system. Dr. Chilton's CATCH grant focuses on improving the quality of care available to Hispanic children by making those serving them aware of the needs of that community. Dr. Chilton has arranged for a visiting professor, Glenn Flores, M.D., professor of pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to offer special pediatrics training at the Young Children's Medical Center, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, and at the Northern New Mexico Family Practice Program in Santa Fe.

"The CATCH Program embodies a partnership between the AAP and its professional members, and our collective efforts to improve children's access to quality healthcare. I'm grateful to the AAP for their support of the long- standing interest of my colleagues and myself in providing the highest quality medical care to Hispanic children and families," said Dr. Chilton.

Since 1981, the YCHC has provided high quality health care and social services, including mental health care, gang prevention and a home visiting program, to Albuquerque's Trumbull and La Mesa neighborhoods.

Wyeth Vaccines, a division of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, has helped support the CATCH Program's Planning Funds grants for the past 13 years. To receive a CATCH grant, pediatricians must submit for review a program proposal to develop innovative, community-based initiatives that increase children's access to medical homes or to specific health services not otherwise available. Planning project activities must lead to sustainable, community- based child health initiatives that increase access to care, especially for underserved children, and address health disparities among children.

The AAP has supported more than 875 CATCH Community Initiatives to improve child healthcare services across the U.S. Wyeth has contributed to honoring the exceptional efforts of pediatricians across the county by sponsoring the Planning Funds Grants since 1993.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

SOURCE The American Academy of Pediatrics

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