Harbor-UCLA
Harbor-UCLA
Child Advocacy Program Overview
Parent Resources & Clinical Programs

Child Advocacy Overview

Child advocacy is a residency rotation and a fundamental part of Harbor-UCLA’s mission as a county hospital. We serve a diverse community of patients, predominantly of low socioeconomic status and with poor access to health care. Children who have little control over their lives and no ability to speak on their own behalf are particularly vulnerable.

With a pediatric tertiary care and trauma center, as well as a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department, Harbor-UCLA plays a vital role in the community, ensuring that all children have access to the highest quality medical care, regardless of social standing. The faculty and residents of the Department of Pediatrics are committed to this mission, as well as to advocating for the needs and interests of children in the community, the state, and the nation.

We invite you to explore our advocacy residency program curriculum, our recent projects and international experiences, and our clinical programs.

Committee

This resident-run committee is focused on engaging the community of Harbor-UCLA on important issues affecting patient health. Often, this involves direct teaching of parents and children. The L.E.A.P program, which focuses on pediatric obesity, is a primary example of a project that started as a result of concern from committee members regarding the burden of obesity-related short- and long-term health consequences in the children under our care. In addition, the committee plans health fairs throughout the year, providing families with more opportunities to learn about important health issues.  These activities also help us to develop a relationship with patients “outside of hospital walls,” building trust between the medical community and the families we serve.

The committee meets monthly to plan projects.  It is supported by dedicated faculty advisors from the Department of Pediatrics, as well as medical students from UCLA.

Members

Peggy Cheng, DO Physician Resident Class of 2026
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Joumana Samaha, MD Physician Resident Class of 2026
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Therese Blanch, MD Physician Resident Class of 2025
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Shani Litwin, MD Physician Resident Class of 2025
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Lydia Ramirez, DO, MBA Physician Resident Class of 2025
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
John (Hank) Thayer, MD Physician Resident Class of 2025
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
George Hyde, MD Physician Resident Class of 2024
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Catherine Harmon, MD Physician Resident Class of 2024
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Sahar Raheel, MD Physician Resident Class of 2024
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Jennifer Tu, DO Physician Resident Class of 2024
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Adam Beasley, MDChief Resident 2023-2024
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Ami Mehta, DOChief Resident 2023-2024
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Kathy Garcia, BS Program Manager Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Wendy Miyares, MSN, CNS, CPNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Roxanne Chang, MD Assistant Clinical Professor David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Co-Director, Developmental/Behavioral RotationSite Director, Reach Out And Read Program Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Monique Holguin, Ph.D./LCSW Assistant Clinical Professor David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Co Director, Medical-Financial PartnershipHarbor-UCLA Medical Center
Monica Sifuentes, MD, FAAP Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Vice Chair, Dept. of Pediatrics Associate Director, Residency Program Director, Adolescent Medicine Director, Pediatric Clerkship Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Niloufar Tehrani, MD Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Medical Director, Pediatric Primary Care Clinic Director, Child Advocacy Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

First Year Year Curriculum

Every resident has a four-week Child Advocacy rotation. The rotation consists of a variety of clinical, community and legislative components, with opportunities to develop and execute an advocacy and/or quality improvement project. With the advent of COVID-19, the rotation incorporates remote participation in community and other advocacy related activities as well as learning modules across a variety of topics, including social determinants of health; diversity, equity, and inclusion; legislative advocacy; developmental milestones and others.

Clinical

Residents participate in clinical programs at Harbor-UCLA, such as the Newborn Screening program, Child Life, and the Medical-Financial Project which provides screening and social/financial resources to patients and their families. Through these experiences, residents learn how child advocates implement and maintain these vital programs. In addition, residents learn first-hand how pediatricians can make effective use of these services, both during and after their residency.

Community

Harbor-UCLA is situated at the crossroads of several communities in the South Bay region, including Harbor Gateway, Torrance, Carson, Wilmington, and Gardena. The Child Advocacy rotation affords the opportunity to become familiar with these communities and the resources they contain. Through objective-based participatory activities with our community partners, the residents learn about ways in which pediatricians can support the community and help introduce patients to available resources.

In addition, residents have the opportunity to participate in community based activities being undertaken by the resident run Child Advocacy Committee and Harbor-UCLA faculty, such as L.E.A.P and Mini Medical School.

Legislative

Pediatricians play an important role in advocating for legislative programs that benefit children. During the rotation, residents have the opportunity to learn more about the legislative process, including analysis of health issues/bills at the state and federal levels, as well as how to effectively draft legislative advocacy letters and presentations. They also have the option of participating in legislative advocacy field trips to Sacramento or Washington (which may occur outside of the four-week block).

Project Proposal

Throughout the rotation, each resident is given the opportunity to develop an advocacy and/or quality improvement project proposal. Faculty mentoring is available to help bring the project to fruition. If the resident comes to the rotation with a specific project already in mind, the rotation itself can be altered to make more free time available to pursue it.

Second & Third Year Curriculum

Advocacy Projects

During the second two years of residency, residents are encouraged to continue participation in Child Advocacy Committee activities and to work on the project ideas they developed during the first year rotation. Faculty mentoring is directed at expanding on the initial proposal and applying for the AAP Resident CATCH Grant. Research electives are available to provide dedicated time to work on project(s).

Public Health Elective

An off-campus four week elective with the Los Angeles Department of Public Health is also available to second and third year residents. This elective is customizable according to the interests of the resident.

L.E.A.P. Program

This community engagement program started in the summer of 2018 following the receipt of an AAP CATCH grant. Obese & overweight school-aged children (~4-13 years old) are engaged in a series of exercises as well as nutrition education in monthly sessions at a local park near Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Patients with BMI >85%ile are referred from our clinics by pediatric and family medicine clinic providers. Sessions are focused on providing fun active games for children to encourage more physical activity in their daily lives. Nutrition education is provided at each session by a registered dietician, and children also receive snacks and prizes. Harbor-UCLA’s pediatric residents, faculty, as well as UCLA medical students plan and conduct these monthly L.E.A.P. sessions.

This program provides another avenue to address the high rate of pediatric obesity in our community – all within the context of fun & interactive play that is attractive to patients and families.

Mini Medical School

Mini Medical School was a project created by Harbor-UCLA residents and faculty in order to enhance the STEM curriculum of children in local elementary schools and to provide career development opportunities for those interested in health-related careers. Residents and faculty teach classes on a variety of medical topics to students at Meyler and 186th Elementary Schools throughout the school years. Students from both schools are invited to attend a hospital field trip where they learn about hands-on simulation at the Harbor-UCLA SIM Center and visit various areas of the hospital. Residents are scheduled to attend these sessions during the Child Advocacy Rotation and are encouraged to participate during the second and third year of residency.

Harbor-UCLA Mini Med School in the News
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