Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Accomplishment 1: in 2023 the Indiana Chapter began serving patients statewide through a new mental health navigator program called the "care program" through the program, care family navigators employed by inaap help connect families in need of mental health services with the available resoures in their area. the program is unique in a few different ways. First, inaap found that many primary care pediatricians were frustrated because they did not have good answers for families who were in need of mental health services. If the pcp had already consulted with Indiana's peer-to-peer mental health line and still felt a family was in need of services, they often did not know what to do for a next step. the care line now fills that role by allowing pcps to give their families a warm handoff to the care program who will step in and help the families get connected. the other thing that makes the program unique is that it serves as a coomprehensive navigation service. Once a family enters the program, inaap's care navigators will wpend as muc time as it takes to make sure that family gets cnnected to a mental health resource that is responsive to their needs. While this means that the program cannot serve as many families as other programs might, it also gives both pcps and families confidence that once they enter the program that they will get the help they need. Accomplishment 2: in 2023, inaap was instrumental in helping senate bill 4 (sb4) pass through the Indiana general assembly. Senate bill 4 represents one of the largest public health investments in Indiana's history, and increased public health spending in the state by 1,500 percent. This was also done in a state that currently has a republican supermajority in the legislature and a republican governor. Prior to the passage of sb4, Indiana had one of the lowest levels of per- capita spending on public health in the country, and the issues that caused were highlighted during the covid-19 pandemic. In response, the head of the Indiana department of health, dr. kris box, made a strong case of increased investment when the state got a favorable budget forecast in late 2022. Indiana aap had spent years developing a strong relationship with dr. Box through various programs and initiatives, and she called on us specifically to help advocate for the bill when it was introduced in the legislature. Inaap pediatricians reponded to the call by being "out in front" at rally and press conferences, as well as by providing testimony to both the Indiana senate and house of representatives. the money set aside by sb4 will go towards building out local health departments that will be able to provide much more comprehensive services including vaccinations, safe sleep education, and tobacco cessation.