Department of Pediatrics
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Advocacy

The mission of the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics is to promote and enhance the health of children through outstanding clinical care, exemplary education of pediatrics trainees, performance of cutting-edge research, and vigorous advocacy. Pediatricians are natural advocates. In addition to daily bedside and outpatient clinical advocacy for individual patients, our providers practice broader advocacy activities as well.

Community

We partner with local schools and community organizations to promote research-based, equitable solutions in children’s physical and mental health, and serve as board members on various local organizations.

Legislative

Children can’t vote and can’t necessarily speak for themselves, so we advocate on their behalf, whether that be for safe sports participation or effective vaccine use. We also serve as advisors on various governmental councils and to school districts.

Professional

Many of our members hold leadership positions within the American Academy of Pediatrics or other professional organizations and collaborate with pediatricians across the state, country, and world to improve child health.

Expert advice and commentary

Department members impart their expertise through media interviews, Op-eds, letters to the editor, and journal articles.

Related Resources and Links

The Murray Katcher Child Health Advocacy Lectureship

Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 7:30-8:30 a.m. via Zoom and HSLC 1345

This new lectureship will feature speakers who address the challenges and successes of advocacy for health and safety of children and vulnerable adults. Murray Katcher, MD, PhD, emeritus professor of pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, will deliver the inaugural lecture in 2023. Learn more here.

The Department of Pediatrics honors current and former members of the department who have gone above and beyond in their careers through named lectureships. These important lectureships are designed to strengthen the abilities of physicians practicing pediatric medicine in areas such as patient care, healthcare research, medical education, public health, and innovation. Our lectureships create space for comradery and community among faculty, staff, and trainees.

Funds donated to these lectureships go directly to providing high-quality education for all faculty, staff, and trainees in the Department of Pediatrics by inviting distinguished lecturers. Lectureships are accredited and provide continuing medical education credits for faculty.

Donate to the Katcher Lectureship today!

Klass P, Heard-Garris N, Navsaria D. Effective Communication for Child Advocacy: Getting the Message out Beyond Clinic Walls. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2023 Feb;70(1):165-179. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2022.09.015. PMID: 36402466.

McAdams RM. Artist’s Statement: Seeking Asylum. Acad Med. 2022 Oct 1;97(10):1437. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004841. Epub 2022 Sep 23. PMID: 36198156.

Zimmerman KO, Goldman JL, Schuster JE, Mena A, Quiriconi M, Butteris SM, Koval S, DeMuri GP, Mueller NB, Benjamin DK, Armstrong SC, Kalu IC, Boutzoukas A, Moorthy GS, Lane H, Weber DJ, Newland JG. Building a National Framework to Pair Scientists and Schools During a Global Pandemic. Pediatrics. 2022 Feb 1;149(Suppl 2):e2021054268D. doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-054268D. PMID: 34737179.

Shah S, Brumberg HL, Kuo A, Balasubramaniam V, Wong S, Opipari V. Academic Advocacy and Promotion: How to Climb a Ladder Not Yet Built. J Pediatr. 2019 Oct;213:4-7.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.07.051. PMID: 31561780.

Child Nutrition Food Insecurity Toolkit

WIC Dane County, sign up here

AAP policy statement on child nutrition
Safety AAP Gun Violence Toolkit

AAP E-cigarette information 
Health Care AAP Children’s Health Care Coverage Fact Sheets 
Disability/Special Needs Southern Regional Center
General Resources Advocacy Guide, American Academy of Pediatrics

Advocacy Leadership Descriptions, AAP Community Practice Training Initiative

Children’s Hospital Association Advocacy Tools

Starter Guide on Policy and Advocacy in Wisconsin, Kids Forward

To learn more about advocacy efforts in the Department of Pediatrics, contact:

Laura M. Houser, MD

Laura Houser, MD

Director of Advocacy,  lhouser@wisc.edu

More Advocacy