Celebrating 90 Years of Adolescent Health

Elizabeth M. Alderman, MD, FAAP, FSAHM
Chairperson, AAP Committee on Adolescence
2019-2023

2020 marked the 90th anniversary of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It was a time to take stock (particularly in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic) of all the work the AAP has done towards its mission to “attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. To supplement the history catalogued in the Gartner Pediatric History Center, a team of AAP COA/SOAH leadership (myself – Dr Liz Alderman, Dr Makia Powers, and Dr Paritosh Kaul) created a history of activities, accomplishments, and leadership from the time the field of Adolescent Medicine began in the early 1950s. Starting with the establishment of the Committee on Juvenile Delinquency in 1955, AAP leadership on adolescent health issues continued to expand with the creation of the Committee on Youth in 1965 (just prior to the creation of the Society of Adolescent and Medicine - SAHM in 1968), the Committee on Adolescence in 1976, and the founding of the Section of Adolescent Health in 1978. The AAP created a structure for the development of policy statements, clinical reports, technical reports, educational programs for pediatric providers, and health information for pre-teens, teens, young adults, and their families. The AAP’s other mission is “to support the professional needs of its members” and it is with all these activities that the AAP does so around adolescent health. Moreover, the AAP, with its Federal Affairs Office in Washington, DC and State Advocacy Office and Chapter advocacy efforts, is the leading force in advocacy for the best health care for adolescents and young adults.

I have been an AAP member since my intern year in the pediatrics residency program at Montefiore/Einstein in the Bronx, NY in 1987. I became a FAAP immediately after becoming a board-certified pediatrician and became active in NY Chapter 3, as co-chair of the Committee on Adolescence in 1993 when I finished my adolescent medicine fellowship at Montefiore/Einstein in 1992. Since that time, I have witnessed and been a part of the growth of the AAP and its commitment to the health of adolescents and young adults. I remember the first time I visited AAP headquarters I was in awe. Through my work over the years, I have met and collaborated with the most talented and dedicated staff without whom the mission of the AAP could not be attained. I have been lucky to work with colleagues in adolescent medicine and other fields of pediatrics in teaching, advocating and setting policy to achieve the highest level of adolescent and young adult health care. Many colleagues and staff have become dear friends. The impact of the AAP on adolescent and young adult health is massive, both in its own work and in collaboration and support of other national organizations promoting adolescent and young adult health. So, enjoy learning about the history of adolescent health at the AAP and be sure to read the reflections from our members!

The Birth of the AAP (1930-1949)

During its first 2 decades, AAP held 17 annual meetings at locations across the country. In the first few years of the Academy’s life, the Journal of Pediatrics was created, and an inaugural policy statement was published defining the age span of pediatrics. "The practice of pediatrics begins at birth and should extend through the adolescent period. In most instances, the termination of pediatric practice would be between the sixteenth and eighteenth years of life."

Highlights

1930	AAP Founded June 23rd
1938	Pediatrics Journal Created

Advances in Pop Culture

• Seventeen Magazine first published in 1944

Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

1931	1st Annual Meeting - Atlantic City, NY (June)
1932	New Orleans, LA (May)
1933	Chicago, IL (June)
1934	Cleveland, OH (June)
1935	New York, NY (June)
1936	Kansas City, MO (May)
1937	New York, NY (June)
1938	California (June)
1939	Cincinnati, OH (November)
1940	Memphis, TN (November)
1941	Boston, MA (October)
1942	Chicago, IL (November)
1944	St Louis, MO (November)
1946	Detroit, MI (January)
1947	Dallas, TX (December)
1948	Atlantic City, NJ (November)
1949	San Francisco, CA (November)

Rockin’ and Rollin’ – The Beginnings of Adolescent Health (1950-1959)

AAP member Dr J Roswell Gallagher (aka, the “father” of adolescent medicine) created the first US clinic for adolescents, in response to his belief that adolescents were too old to be cared for by pediatricians but not ready for an adult physician. The increasing health needs of adolescents warranted the creation of the first AAP adolescent focused committee– The Committee on Juvenile Delinquency – led by its first chairperson, Dr Preston McLendon. The charge of this committee was to study causes and prevention of juvenile delinquency and how the Academy could cooperate with other groups in combating the problem. By the end of the decade, the committee’s scope expanded to increase attention to the physical, mental, and emotional health needs of adolescents and 32 (out of 34) AAP chapters had their own local juvenile delinquency committees.

Highlights

1950s	AAP starts offering 2 conferences each year
1951	First US clinic opens for Adolescents
1955	Committee on Juvenile Delinquency Created (first Committee Chairperson, Dr Preston McLendon)
1959	Conference Summary published – Role of the Pediatrician in the Prevention of Delinquency

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Televisions in majority of American homes by the end of the decade and 45 records become popular
• Teens become identified as a unique, age-defined market by advertisers
• How the term “teenager” was created – A Caste, A Culture, A Market
• A brief history of teenagers

Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

1950	Chicago, IL (October)
1951	Cincinnati, OH (March); Toronto, Canada (October)
1952	Washington, DC (May); Chicago, IL (October)
1953	Boston, MA (April); Miami, FL (October)
1954	Los Angeles, CA (April); Chicago, IL (October)
1955	Detroit, MI (April); Chicago, IL (October)
1956	Houston, TX (April); New York, NY (October)
1957	Washington, DC (April); Chicago, IL (October)
1958	New York, NY (April); Chicago, IL (October)
1959	San Francisco, CA (April); Chicago, IL (October)
1959	Conference Summary on Prevention of Deliquency

 

Generation Gap (1960-1969)

In the early 60s, several prominent pediatricians became interested in the health care needs and services for adolescents, including C. Henry Kempe, MD, and the first 2 books on adolescent health care were published. The juvenile delinquency committee established close working relationships with the US President's Commission on Youth, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, the Children's Bureau, the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges, and the American Orthopsychiatric Association. By the mid-60s, the committee’s scope broadened to address all aspects of health for young people. The issues that were at the forefront of the committee’s work included teen marriage, pregnancy, abortion, drug abuse, car accidents, Venereal Diseases, obesity, school dropouts, sexual behavior, preparing for adult life/parenthood, and youth in detention (through 1974).

Two major advocacy efforts were initiated in the mid-60s - a joint workshop with the Committee on School Health and representatives of various governmental agencies to discuss the implications of new Federal legislation (Elementary Secondary Education Act on child health); and collaboration with state chapters to remedy the bad situations in the juvenile detention homes. The increased attention to the importance of adolescent health care led to the creation of a new organization, The Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM), founded in 1968.

Highlights

1960	Medical Care of the Adolescent.jpgMedical Care of the Adolescent published (1st textbook of its kind) – Dr Gallagher Pediatrician's Role in the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency manual (AAP, retired in 1987)
1965	New Committee name - Committee on Youth – Dr Robert Deischer, Chairperson
1966	Elementary Secondary Education Act Provides Child Health Care Services (AAP Newsletter, June 15, 1966)
1968	Policy statements published Family Life and Sex Education (Pediatrics, Vol. 42, No. 3, September 1968, Joint Statement) Sexual Problems In Children and Adolescents (Pediatrics, Vol. 42, No. 4, October 1968) Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM) Founded (History of SAM through 2018)
1969	Policy statement published - Drug Abuse In Adolescence (Pediatrics, Vol. 44, No. 1, July 1969)

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Major strides were made in birth control (see a history of birth control methods)
• Major differences in body composition between boys and girls were studied
• Standards for stages of pubertal development in boys and girls further defined
• Blue jeans became popular
• Counter-culture and youth voices were elevated for social and political issues
• Anti-War movement on college campuses

Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

Committee Chairs

1961-1965	Clifford G. Grulee, Jr., MD, FAAP
1965-1968	Robert W. Deischer, MD, FAAP
1968-1970	Albert J. Schroeder, MD, FAAP

Sex, Drugs, and Mental Health (1970-1979)

The health issues facing adolescents increased attention to this population within the AAP in this decade, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and marijuana use. A series of policy statements were published (11 in total over a 10-year period) to provide guidance related to sexual/reproductive health and institutionalized youth. Many legislative issues affecting adolescents were addressed by the AAP’s federal and state advocacy departments, including vital health statistics, National Health Insurance, privacy and confidentiality of medical records, consent, abortion, and experimentation. The passage of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act was instrumental in supporting AAP’s recommendations for the provision of confidential care and minor consent for services.

At the end of this decade, the Section on Adolescent Health (SOAH) was founded by its first chairperson, Dr Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann, MD, FAAP. The purpose of the section was to provide educational resources and support for its members. The AAP Division of Public Education started developing patient education content in collaboration with AAP committees and sections (eg, brochures, fact sheets, growth chart, posters, magnets, Healthy Kids Magazine, videos etc). The decade ended with the approval of the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) as an organization liaison to the Committee on Adolescence.

Highlights

1971	AAP Endorses ACOG Statement on Teenage Pregnancies (Pediatrics, Vol. 47, No. 4) Teen-age Pregnancy and the Problem of Abortion (AAP Newsletter Supplement) Statement on Marijuana (Pediatrics, Vol. 49, No. 3)
1972	Venereal Disease and the Pediatrician (Pediatrics, Vol. 50, No. 3, September 1972)
1973	Health Standards for Juvenile Court Residential Facilities (Pediatrics, Vol. 52, No. 3, September 1973) Major Strides in Advocacy work Breckenridge Process (conference on delivery of adolescent health care services) Model Act for the Consent of Minors for health care services (Pediatrics, Vol. 51, No. 2, February 1973) Proposal of medical consent laws Health standard for juvenile court residential facilities
1974	Passage of Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
1976	Name change to Committee on Adolescence, Dale C. Garell, MD, FAAP, Chairperson
1978	Section on Adolescent Health Founded (Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann, MD, FAAP, Chairperson)
1979	Statement on Teenage Pregnancy (Pediatrics, Vol. 63, No. 5, May 1979)

 

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Relationship between body fat in girls and start of menarche studied
• Bulimia nervosa was first described as a variant of anorexia in 1979 Anorexia nervosa first identified in 1689, English physician Richard Morton who described two cases of “nervous consumption”
• Video games become widely available (Atari was first vendor and Pong was first popular game)

Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

Committee Chairs

1970-1974	Sprague W. Hazard, MD, FAAP
1974-1976	Dale C. Garell, MD, FAAP
1976-1977	Dale C. Garell, MD, FAAP
1977-1980	Michael I. Cohen, MD, FAAP

SOAH Chairs

1978-1980

Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann, MD, FAAP (Inaugural Chairperson)

Pop Culture Era – MTV and Breakfast Club (1980-1989)

This new decade emphasized the pediatrician’s role in the delivery of health care to adolescents and brought the development of several new policy statements. The identification of HIV and the AIDS epidemic in this decade prompted increased attention to adolescent sexual behaviors. The Section on Adolescent Health created an annual award to recognize members for their lifetime achievement in adolescent medicine, which was named on behalf of Dr Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann, a pioneer in adolescent medicine. Dr Michael Cohen was the first recipient of this annual award for his STD and HIV research.

The first AAP publications catalogue was published, which featured a pamphlet on sex education for adolescents. A new statement was published on sexuality, contraception, and the media. Towards the end of this decade, the Section on Adolescent Health received funding from Merck to support a new publication, Adolescent Health Update. This concise clinical guide for pediatricians was designed to provide practical information and guidance on key topics; experts were invited to write each issue (3 issues/year). This publication was distributed to all AAP members as an insert in AAP News. This publication was instrumental in expanding the reach of adolescent health information across the Academy members.

 

Highlights

1980	Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann Award Created Teenage Suicide Statement published (Pediatrics, Vol. 66, No. 1)
1982	Conference on Consent and Confidentiality in Adolescent Health Care (proceedings)
1983	Policy Statements published Role of the Pediatrician in Substance Abuse Counseling (Pediatrics, Vol. 72, No. 2) Rape and the Adolescent (Pediatrics, Vol. 72, No. 5)
1984	Pamphlet on sex education published
1986	Juvenile Justice Bibliography of Educational Materials published Sexuality, Contraception, and the Media Statement published (Pediatrics, Vol. 78, No. 3)
1987	Policy Statements Published Management of STDs in Children and Adolescents (Pediatrics, Vol. 79, No. 3) Alcohol Use and Abuse (Pediatrics, Vol. 79, No. 3) Tobacco Use by Children and Adolescents (Pediatrics, Vol. 79, No. 3)
1988	Inaugural Adolescent Health Update published Suicide and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents and Young Adults (Pediatrics, Vol. 81, No. 2)
1989	Policy Statements Published Counseling the Adolescent About Pregnancy Options (Pediatrics, Vol. 83, No. 1) Adolescent Pregnancy (Pediatrics, Vol. 83, No. 1) Confidentiality in Adolescent Health Care (AAP News) Screening for Drugs of Abuse in Children and Adolescents (Pediatrics, Vol. 84, No. 2) Health Care for Children and Adolescents in Court-Sponsored Residential Facilities (Pediatrics, Vol. 84, No. 6)

 

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Popular teen movies – Breakfast Club; Sixteen Candles
• The Ad Council launches the Drug and Alcoholism Campaign; Nancy Reagan-“Just Say No”
• First advertisement using the word condom
• Home computers became available
• The World Wide Web launched in 1989
• Peak in binge drinking in adolescents according to NIDA

Memories/Reflections

Roberta K. Beach MD, MPH, FAAP
Professor Emerita of Pediatrics
University of Colorado School of Medicine

 

I’ve been a member of the AAP and the Colorado Chapter for 45 years (since 1976) and of SOAH for 42 years (since 1979). As a specialist in Adolescent Medicine, I enjoyed working with AAP in many roles, especially during 1986 to 1997 as the AAP continued to broaden its focus on adolescents and their increasing high-risk behaviors. Dr. Joe Sanders, a colleague and friend who would become Executive Director of the AAP, nominated me for the Committee on Adolescents where I served for 6 years (1988-1995), first as a member then as Chair. In that time, the Committees wrote the position papers and SOAH did the programs and awards. Some memorable position papers our Committee published included the first “Firearms and Adolescents” due to the rising rates of death from guns, including suicides. Another was the controversial “Condom Availability for Youth.” I vividly recall spending too many hours writing replies to Letters to the Editor about it. 20 years ago, more conservative members of the AAP were very opposed to teenagers having access to condoms, especially in schools, wanting abstinence instead. The AAP supported the position paper even knowing the response it would get. The Committee was staffed by the excellent Kathy Sanabria who is still a friend today. The COA met at the Elk Grove Village headquarters and I’ll never forget the beautiful Della Robbia seal at the entrance. I also have wonderful memories of being on the first editorial board for the Adolescent Health Update (1988-1995) and the annual retreats the board took to marvelous hotels around the country when the exuberant Mary-Ann Shafer, MD was Chair. Another special memory is the 1997 annual meeting in New Orleans when SOAH gave me the Adele Dellenbaugh Hofmann for “Outstanding Contributions to Adolescent Health.” I was part of a superb and unforgettable group of colleagues whose goal was to help pediatricians provide care for adolescents. It’s an honor that serving within the AAP has become a rich part of my own life history.

Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

1984	Chicago
1985	San Antonio
1986	DC
1987	New Orleans
1988	San Francisco
1989	Chicago

Committee Chairs

1980-1982	William A. Long, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson
1982-1987	Joe M. Sanders, Jr., MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson
1987-1991	S. Kenneth Schonberg, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson

SOAH Chairs

1982-1983	Elizabeth McAnarney, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
1984-1985	Kenneth Sladkin, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
1986-1987	George Comerci, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
1987-1988	Mary-Ann Shafer, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
1989-1990	William Long Jr, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson

Award Recipients

Hofmann Award

1980	Michael Cohen, MD, FAAP
1981	William A. Daniel, MD, FAAP
1982	Iris Litt, MD, FAAP
1983	Felix P. Heald, MD, FAAP
1984	Adele D. Hofmann, MD, FAAP
1985	Hyman C. Tolmas, MD, FAAP
1986	Elizabeth R. McAnarney, MD, FAAP
1987	George Comerci, MD, FAAP
1988	Joe M. Sanders, MD, FAAP
1989	Daniel Offer, MD, FAAP

Major Growth Spurt - Technology Boom (1990-2000)

As adolescent health care became more prominent within the AAP, the Section on Adolescent Health created an editorial board for a new journal – Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews (AM:STARs) – a publication designed to focus on one topic per issue with several articles written by various member experts. It was published by Hanley & Belfus Publishing with Co-editors Drs Victor Strasburger and Donald Greydanus at the helm and was distributed as part of a SOAH membership benefit. Three issues were published each year. Policy development continued with the publication of several new statements.

During the 2nd half of this decade, the 1st Adolescent Medicine PREP course was offered, designed as an intense multi-day review course in preparation for the Adolescent Medicine Subspecialty Board exam. The success of this first course led to future offerings at 2-year intervals. The Founders in Adolescent Health Award was also created to recognize members for their local/community work and leadership in adolescent health. Dr Steve Matson was the first recipient of this award for his work in creating community outreach programs to serve youth including school-based health centers; detention center clinics, free walk-in clinics, clinics for LGBTQ youth and drug abuse treatment programs.

Highlights

1990	Inaugural AM:STARs Issues Published (at-risk adolescents, dermatology, and AIDS/STDs) Contraception Statement published (Pediatrics, Vol 86, No 1, July)
1992	Firearms Statement published (Pediatrics, Vol 94, No 5, April)
1993	Dr Joe Sanders appointed as new AAP Executive Director
1994	Dr George Comerci elected AAP President (served as SOAH Chairperson in 1984) First Adolescent Medicine Subspecialty Board Exam Sexual Assault Statement published (Pediatrics, Vol 95, No 5, November)
1996	Published Policy Statements Adolescent’s Right to Confidential Care when Considering Abortion (Pediatrics, Vol 97, No 5, May) Teen Driver (Pediatrics, Vol 98, No 5, November) Transition of Care for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs (Pediatrics, Vol 98, No 6, December)
1997	First Adolescent Medicine PREP Course Offered
1999	Founders Award Established

 

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Hotmail became the first widespread email provider in 1996
• Cell phones became widely available after first phone invented in 1983
• Female condom invented 1994
• Depo Provera FDA approved 1992
• Norplant FDA approved

Memories/Reflections

Joe Sanders, MD, FAAP: My pediatric program director, a strong advocate for the Academy, always sent his senior residents to the AAP Annual Meeting (now the NCE). I went to my first meeting in 1969. In those days, the meeting ended with a dinner banquet for all the attendees. I sat next to a physician from Jackson, Mississippi by the name of Bill long. In the course of our conversation, I learned that Dr long had completed a Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at the University of Colorado and was in a private practice limited to teenaged patients. He told me that extending care to adolescents was a new but growing component in the field of Pediatrics. The more we talked, the more intrigued I became. Bill later became the Chair of his chapter’s Committee on Adolescence.

When I returned to San Francisco, I requested a meeting with my program director and told him about my experience at the Academy meeting. He was very supportive and encouraged me to apply for a Fellowship. There were very few programs in those days, but I applied to two: San Francisco Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado. The day Dr John Piel received my letter, he called and invited me to lunch. After a stimulating conversation, he offered me a Fellowship position at SF Children's Hospital. What did he have to lose? I was on active duty in the Army and would be a “freebie” since the Army would continue to pay my salary. The other advantage this program offered me was that I would overlap for four months with the current Fellow, Dr Dick Brown. He and I continued to interact together in many Adolescent Medicine activities in the Academy and SAM long after our respective training experiences.

Upon completion of my Fellowship, I was assigned to the Army hospital in Denver, Colorado (Fitzsimons Army Medical Center) to complete my military obligation. There I became acquainted with Dr C. Henry Kempe who was an early advocate of adolescent medicine. He had recruited Dr Henry Cooper to come to start a program in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado. They both encouraged me to develop a program at my military hospital. With the help of Colonel (Dr) Fred Biehusen, another pioneer in Adolescent Medicine, we were approved to develop a Fellowship and we accepted our first Fellows in 1974.

One of my earliest professional goals was to become Board Certified in Pediatrics. A major motivating factor was that such certification was a pre-requisite to becoming a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. When I completed the oral component of the Board examination, I became certified in 1975. I immediately joined the Academy and became active in both the Section on Adolescent Health and the Section on Military Pediatrics. While I attended every educational session of the Section on Adolescent Health at the Annual Meetings, sometimes as a presenter, I was at that time more involved in the military section. I was elected to the (military section) Executive Committee in 1976, and chaired the Section from 1977 to 1979.

My most cherished accomplishment was leading the effort that culminated into the creation of 2 military Chapters in the Academy - Uniformed Services Chapter East and Uniformed Services Chapter West. I then served as Chapter President of the Chapter West for 6 years.

The highlight of my career came in 1988. I had retired from the Army and had joined the faculty at the Medical College of Georgia. Out of the blue I received a phone call from Dr Jim Strain, Executive Director of the Academy, asking if I would be interested in interviewing for the position of his Associate Director. I had known Jim since we had both served as Clinical Professors at the University of Colorado. He was also aware of my many years of voluntary activity within the Academy. Of course I interviewed, was offered the position, and enthusiastically accepted it. Five years later, Jim retired and I competed in a national search for his replacement. I was awarded the position of Executive Director in 1993. Those 15 years at the Academy were the most enjoyable and professionally gratifying years of my career.

In addition to the very competent and committed staff, the heart and soul of the Academy is the willingness of its members to serve in volunteer activities. My goal was to make every Section, Committee, and Chapter feel that their contributions were the most important and the most vital to the accomplishment to the Academy's mission. Therefore, I made a concerted effort to treat every component equally and without bias, but I must confess that issues concerning adolescent health always remained a high priority in my heart.

In those days, the 1980's and early 1990's, a major source of input to the AAP Board of Directors from its volunteers was through the Annual Chapter Forum. Each year in the early Fall, all of the Chapter Presidents and Vice Presidents would convene for a weekend in Chicago and present and vote on a wide range of resolutions. While the Board was not obligated to act upon all of the resolutions that passed, I can assure you that all were taken very seriously. This was a good democratic process, but I had concerns that other volunteer elements in the Academy, namely Sections and Committees, did not have a similar mechanism for bringing issues to the Board's attention. This, for me, came to a head when a resolution passed by the Annual Chapter Forum directing that a member must be active in the State Chapter in order to be appointed to a Committee. I had no problem with the intent of the resolution, but I was concerned that there was no opportunity for input on the issue from the Committees or Sections. It seemed to me that a well-qualified practitioner or academician could certainly have time constraints which would limit participation in volunteer professional activities.To make a long story short, I managed to convince the Board to appoint a Task Force to examine the concept of having input from Committees and Sections in the resolution process. Dr Ken Schonberg was appointed Chair of this Task Force, and the ultimate result of their report was changing the Annual Chapter Forum to the Academy Leadership Forum where members representing the Sections and Chapters joined the Chapter chairs in presenting and debating resolutions to help guide the Academy's Board of Directors' governance process.

The most memorable activity involving the Section on Adolescent Health during my tenure as Executive Director was the creation of a publication titled, "Adolescent Health Update". We were able to secure outside funding to support this effort to produce a quarterly "newsletter" consisting of short but practical articles providing guidance for dealing with common problems related to adolescents. The target audience was practicing pediatricians as well as students and house-staff. Dr Marianne Shafer was named editor, and there was a very distinguished editorial board which included my friend and colleague, Dr Robin Beach. Unfortunately, the project ended after I retired and extramural funding ended.

Let me conclude by saying that one of the most cherished events in my career was being named the recipient of the Adele Hoffman Award by the Section on Adolescent Health in 1988. I consider recognition by one's colleagues to be the highest compliment that can be paid to a professional.

Related Links
Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

1990	Boston
1991	New Orleans
1992	San Francisco
1993	Washington DC
1994	Dallas
1995	San Francisco
1996	Boston
1997	New Orleans
1998	San Francisco
1999	Washington, DC

Committee Chairs

1991-1995	Roberta K. Beach, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson
1995-1999	Marianne E. Felice, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson
1999-2003	David W. Kaplan, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson

SOAH Chairs

1991-1993	Ronald Eagar, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
1994-1996	Victor Strasburger, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
1997-1999	Robert T. Brown, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson

Award Recipients

Hofmann Award

1990	H. Verdain Barnes, MD, FAAP
1991	Mary-Ann B. Shafer, MD, FAAP
1992	Sprague Hazard, MD, FAAP
1993	William A. Long, MD, FAAP
1994	Richard G. MacKenzie, MD, FAAP
1995	Donald Greydanus, MD, FAAP
1996	Mariann Felice, MD, FAAP
1997	Robin Beach, MD, FAAP/S. Kenneth Schonberg, MD, FAAP
1998	Charles E. Irwin, MD, FAAP
1999	Joseph L. Rauh, MD, FAAP

 

Founders Award

1999	Steve C. Matson, MD, FAAP

A New Century for Teens (2001-2019)

The work of the committee on adolescence and section on adolescent health continued to grow at the start of the new century, as the visibility of this unique population increased. More adolescent medicine specialists were board certified, and the AAP offered 4 AM:PREP courses. In addition, PREP the course started offering adolescent health content, which expanded the education on adolescent health issues more broadly. AM:STARs continued to publish 3 issues per year, changed their name briefly to Adolescent Medicine Clinics, then reclaimed the AM:STARs name in when Elsevier took over publishing the journal. The journal then transitioned to its final publisher, the AAP. A new public facing Web site was launched, HealthyChildren.org, and adolescent content on talking with your teen about sex was added. A new, teen-friendly design and language for teen-focused patient education brochures was unveiled, with input from adolescents themselves. New policy was developed on a variety of key topics, and the AAP joined ACOG in a joint statement about menstruation and adolescents.

The AAP joined the Partners in Program Planning for Adolescent Health (PIPPAH) initiative of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, which promoted an adolescent health agenda among key professional disciplines likely to encounter adolescents and their families. PIPPAH addressed the development of organizational infrastructure at national and state levels that can effectively address adolescent health issues; enhanced intra-and inter-disciplinary communication, education and training needs relevant to adolescent health; and encouraged the growth of collaborative efforts across disciplines and professional organizations on behalf of adolescent health and well-being. The last issue of Adolescent Health Update was published in 2010, as funding was no longer available to support this publication.

Highlights

2001	AM:PREP Course held PREP The Course offered adolescent health topics Policy Statements Published Adolescents and HIV Infection (Pediatrics, Vol 107, No 1, January) Care of Adolescent parents and their children (Pediatrics, Vol 107, No 2, February) Care of Adolescents in the Juvenile Correctional Care System (Pediatrics, Vol 107, No 4, April) Sexuality Education (Pediatrics, Vol 108, No 2, August)
2003	AM:PREP Course held History of Adolescent Medicine article published
2004	Elsevier new publisher for AM:STARs Healthy Children Web site launched
2005	AM:PREP Course held Redesign of teen-focused patient educational materials
2006	Brochures on tattooing and body piercing and health care for college students were released AAP joins PIPPAH Initiative
2007	First African American elected as AAP President (Dr Renee Jenkins) AM:PREP Course held AAP new publisher for AM:STARs

 

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Mirena IUD FDA approved 2000
• Nexplanon approved by FDA in 2006
• Ad Council launches campaign to raise awareness for autism, adoption from foster care, bullying prevention, and texting and driving
• Michelle Obama launches “Let’s Move” Initiative to address childhood obesity
• Daily marijuana smoking more prevalent than daily cigarette smoking in teens per Monitoring the Future data
• Tobacco Control Act signed by Obama/Biden Administration

 

 

Memories/Reflections

Renee Jenkins, MD, FAAP - I went into my presidency year with issues I expected to advocate for that were close to my heart – Health Equity, Adolescent Reproductive Health, and Access to Health Care with the successful passing of a health reform bill – Well – I found out it doesn’t quite work like that – the issues come forth in a manner that’s not totally predictable. Every president of AAP prior to the Affordable Care Act passing spent a huge amount of time leading and supporting efforts to that end. The 2 major issues addressed during my presidency were related to immunizations and access to quality care.

Immunizations and the Anti-Vaxers. – The Anti-Vaxers were developing a movement that included highly visible celebrities. Their activities were intensified just as the HPV vaccine was approved in 2006 and added to the immunization schedule for 11-12 year-olds in 2007. The AAP partnered with Every Child by Two to work on communicating the efficacy, safety and monitoring information about vaccines. Every Child by Two founders, former first lady Rosalynn Carter and former first lady of Arkansas Betty Bumpers, held a press conference with me representing the AAP and featuring actress Amanda Peet. So all was going well until we received a call that the unhappy Anti-Vaxers were on their way to the press conference and it was highly recommended that we exit discreetly out a service exit. Needless to say Betty Bumpers doesn’t scare easily and the size of the demonstration group was highly exaggerated, but it made for a bit of drama. The AAP rolled out multiple materials for patient and provider education about the HPV vaccine in an effort to support the uptake of the vaccine. Getting significant rates of girls, and now boys, immunized takes the tools that were developed and multiple education opportunities to be where we need to be with HPV vaccination rates.

Access to Quality Care –But we were dealt a discouraging bit of news from a Rand study published by Mangione-Smith et al, in 2008 that demonstrated poor rates of compliance with preventive service recommendations, the lowest compliance occurring for adolescent patients. We can advocate for access, but the access needed demonstrate high quality care for all ages. The AAPs Steering Committee on Quality Improvement published an article on the Principles for the Development and Use of Quality Measures and set forth an agenda and action plan designed to show improved performance levels. The Committee on Adolescence published a position statement in 2008, which was updated in 2016 with recommendations, “Achieving Quality Health Services for Adolescents,” that provides explicit guidance to members. (I searched but so far haven’t seen a follow up study to see if we’re doing better with demonstrated compliance to the standards that is supported by a medical records methodology). The AAP is committed to adolescents and young adults in their policies and educational programming. For this we are truly appreciative as advocates and health care professionals serving this population.

University of Washington Adolescent Medicine Program Team, 2006
AAP National Conference

Annual Meeting Dates/Locations

2000	Chicago
2001	San Francisco
2002	Boston
2003	New Orleans
2004	San Francisco
2005	Washington DC
2006	Atlanta
2007	San Francisco
2008	Boston
2009	Washington DC

 

Committee Chairs

2003-2007	Jonathan D. Klein, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson
2007-2011	Margaret J. Blythe, MD, FAAP, COA Chairperson

 

SOAH Chairs

2000-2002	Jennifer Johnson, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
2002-2007	Richard B. Heyman, MD, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson
2007-2011	Elizabeth M. Alderman, MD, FSAHM, FAAP, SOAH Chairperson

 

Award Recipients

Hoffman Award

2000	Victor Strasburger, MD, FAAP
2001	I. Ronald Shenker, MD, FAAP
2002	Tomas J. Silber, MD, FAAP
2003	Richard Kreipe, MD, FAAP
2004	Robert T. Brown, MD, FAAP
2005	Susan Coupey, MD, FAAP
2006	S. Jean Emans, MD, FAAP
2007	Manuel Schydlower, MD, FAAP
2008	Donald P. Orr, MD, FAAP
2009	Alain Joffe, MD, FAAP

 

Founders Award

2000	Robert W. Deisher, MD, FAAP
2001	Angela Diaz, MD, FAAP
2002	Kathleen C. Perkins, MD, FAAP
2003	Suzanne Boulter, MD, FAAP
2004	Kathleen McElligott, MD, FAAP
2005	Alwyn Cohall, MD, FAAP
2006	David Kaplan, MD, FAAP
2007	Hatim Omar, MD, FAAP
2008	Thelma Jann Caison, MD, FAAP
2009	Margaret J. Blythe, MD, FAAP

Decade of Maturation and Individuation (2011-2019)

This decade began with the publication of the Textbook of Adolescent Health Care, featuring editors Drs Martin M. Fisher, Elizabeth M. Alderman, Richard E. Kreipe, and Walter D. Rosenfeld. Its broad scope featured nearly 200 chapters covering physical growth and development, examination and laboratory screening, sexual development, puberty, obesity, sleep disorders, adolescent dermatology, and much more. AM:PREP offered the final course, as attendance continued to decline as a result of the changes to the Board certification requirements. However, as the need for more education on adolescent health issues increased among general pediatricians, the Section decided to collaborate with the Section on Med-Peds to plan the first ever course on the practical care of the adolescent and young adult; 2 successful courses were held – attracting 200 attendees; plans are now underway for a 3rd course in 2023. New policy statements were published in response to the unique needs of adolescents.

The first edition of Reaching Teens was published, written by Dr Kenneth Ginsburg, which provided strengths-Based communication strategies to build resilience and support healthy adolescent development; the 2nd edition was released at the end of the decade, completely revised and updated to serve as a multimedia resource that integrates a trauma-sensitive model with the core belief that identifying, reinforcing, and building on inherent strengths can facilitate positive youth development. AM:STARs continued to publish 2-3 issues per year until the end of the decade with the final issue on contraception. However, the section embarked on a new venture to create a supplement for Pediatrics, led by editors Drs Paritosh Kaul and Maria Trent; it featured articles on the key issues that are addressed within a primary care setting in the care of adolescent patients. Another supplement is in the works on building resilience in adolescents, scheduled for a late 2021 publication.

Social media exploded during this decade and the AAP responded. A cohort of tweetiatricians was created and Dr Peggy Stager was selected as one of a dozen social media ambassadors for adolescent health. A new team at the AAP was created (Adolescent Health Promotion) to bring all the adolescent health activities together in one area and to further increase the visibility of this population. In addition to the adolescent health committee and section, the tobacco consortium, section, and the Richmond Center of Excellence also transition to this new area. The 5-year research grant from Merck on adolescent confidentiality and private time was completed with the release of a series of articles on the findings and a booklet on Consortium Project on adolescent confidentiality and private time (Merck funded). In addition, a new Web site dedicated to adolescent sexual health was created as one of the deliverables of a grant-funded project on sexual health. New videos were also developed as part of this initiative that model counseling techniques for talking to adolescents about sexual health.

At the end of the decade, the Academy’s focus shifted to COVID-19 responses, and adolescent health leadership was instrumental (committee and section) developing guidance and resources to support pediatricians in addressing the unique needs of adolescents; guidance specific to youth in the justice system, mental and behavioral health impacts, and telehealth was developed. The Academy also hosted their first summit, with support from the CDC, on youth tobacco cessation, which will result in the publication of a clinical considerations resource for pediatricians.

Highlights

2011	Textbook of Adolescent Health Care published Policy Statements Published Male Adolescent and Sexual Reproductive Health Care Health Care for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
2012	Final AM:PREP course offered Policy Statements Published Standards for Health Information Technology to Ensure Adolescent Privacy Care of Adolescent Parents and Their Children Collaborative Care in the Diagnosis and Management of Bipolar Disorder Office-based Care for LTBTQ Youth
2014	Reaching Teens published Policy Statements Published Emergency Contraception School Start Times for Adolescents Insufficient Sleep for Adolescents
2015	Policy Statements Published Health care Issues for Children and Adolescents in Foster and Kinship Care (Technical Report)
2016	Policy Statements Published Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign Menstrual Management for Adolescents with Disabilities Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents
2017	First course on Practical Care of the Adolescent and Young Adult course offered Policy Statements Published Adolescent Tattooing, Piercing, and Scarification Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services
2018	Policy Statements Published Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-diverse Adolescents The Teen Driver Health Care Financing to Improve the Care of Adolescents
2019	Last 3 issues of AM:STARs published Policy Statements Published The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health Unique Needs of the Adolescent Dedicated Adolescent Health Promotion team created at the AAP New resources released on confidentiality and one-on-one time - Adolescent Health Care Campaign Toolkit New Adolescent Sexual Health Web site launched with resources and videos
2020	Pediatrics Supplement dedicated to adolescent health published Policy Statements Published Long-Acting Reversible Contraception for Adolescents COVID-19 guidance and resources developed Tobacco Cessation Summit held

 

Advances in Adolescent Health/Pop Culture

• Suicide becomes 2nd leading cause of death in adolescents, surpassing homicides. Unintentional injuries are leading cause of death in adolescents
• Vaping becomes prevalent
• According to NIDA teen use of illicit substances, with the exception of marijuana, and inhalants are at their lowest level
• 2010 Health Care Reform event at White House

 

 

Memories/Reflections

Margaret (Peggy) Stager, MD, FAAP
Social media has become a major platform for dissemination and promotion of adolescent health issues. When I was named the AAP Social Media Ambassador for Adolescent Medicine in 2016, I utilized Twitter as my main social media platform to promote a variety of adolescent health topics such as vaccine campaigns, drowning prevention tips, contraception access, mental health awareness and many more. I’ve really enjoyed meeting other adolescent medicine providers on social media as well as sharing new research or other important initiatives which promote the well-being of our adolescents and young adults.

Yolanda (Linda) Reid Chassiakos, MD, FAAP
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
It was a great honor and pleasure to collaborate with wonderful colleagues from the AAP Section on Adolescent Health and the Council on Communications and Media to update AAP policies about adolescents using digital media in late 2016 and in 2019. The rapid evolution of the modern media-sphere to include a robust internet, social media, a breadth of apps, and gamification; and the sequelae of digital media risks such as cyberbullying, problematic internet use, privacy intrusion, and negative effects of digital advertising; required a review of new and ground-breaking research for a greater understanding of the new digital environment. These reviews and analyses led to updated policies and the development of the useful and successful AAP Family Media Use Plan in the couple of years before the pandemic. The virtual communications necessitated by the tragic COVID pandemic has been facilitated and positively supported by the policies, tools, and professional and public education developed and disseminated in the preceding years on children, adolescents, and digital media. As we look to a future beyond the pandemic, the research efforts of AAP specialists in adolescent health, digital media, communications, will continue to guide parents, caregivers, and families on the safe and healthy use of media individually and together, at school and at home.

Elise Berlan, MD, FAAP
I have fond memories of my time on the AAP AMPREP board. Getting to know new colleagues was a highlight of my time on the board (2014-2016) and those friendships have endured over the years since we’ve all completed our terms.

James Baumberger, Sr Director, AAP Federal Advocacy
SOAH and COA, in close partnership with SAHM, have played a critical role in advocating for adolescents at the federal and state levels for decades. Policy statements written by COA have served as critical advocacy tools and are frequently relied upon by policymakers on issues like reproductive health for adolescents, contraception, sexuality education, the importance of confidential care for adolescents, juvenile justice, care for transgender adolescents, and the impact of racism on child and adolescent health.

The years of the Obama administration were a critical time for adolescent health advocacy. While Congress had authorized in law an Office of Adolescent Health in 1992, 18 years went by without the office actually being established and funded. In 2010, Congress provided funding for a new Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP) and simultaneously provided funding to create the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH). The AAP advocated strongly for funding for both the TPPP and OAH and helped to advise OAH on its important new activities.

In 2009, Congress passed landmark legislation to improve regulation of tobacco products. Renee Jenkins, MD, FAAP represented AAP at the White House when the Tobacco Control Act was signed by President Obama in the White House. Dr. Jenkins also played an important role in advocating for the needs of adolescents and young adults as Congress considered and passed health care reform.

AAP advocacy helped lead to important provisions in the Affordable Care Act to expand access for adolescents and young adults including expanded dependent coverage, extended Medicaid eligibility, and preventive services such as contraception provided without cost-sharing. The AAP also engaged in intensive judicial advocacy to defend the ACA contraceptive coverage mandate against legal challenge over a number of years by submitting court briefs, including twice to the U.S. Supreme Court, strongly supporting the policy.

The Academy also played a lead role in advocacy to expand access to emergency contraception. In 2011, HHS overruled a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to allow emergency contraception to be sold over the counter without an age restriction. AAP vocally opposed the decision and urged HHS to follow the science. Federal litigation supported by AAP ultimately resulted in the courts overturning the FDA decision.

During the Trump administration, AAP played key roles in resisting policy changes including defunding Planned Parenthood, making damaging changes to the Title X family planning program regulations, and expanding exemptions to the contraceptive coverage requirement.

In 2021, SOAH member Rachel Levine, MD, FAAP was appointed to the role of HHS Assistant Secretary for Health. She made history as the first openly transgender government official to receive Senate confirmation to a post. In that role, Dr. Levine oversees the Office of the Surgeon General, the Title X family planning program, teen pregnancy prevention, adolescent health, and the National Vaccine Program. In May 2021, Dr. Levine gave a keynote address at the AAP plenary at the virtual Pediatric Academic Societies meeting.

National Conference Dates/Locations

2012	New Orleans
2013	Orlando
2014	San Diego
2015	Washington DC
2016	San Francisco
2017	Chicago
2018	Orlando
2019	New Orleans
2020	San Diego (Virtual)

 

Committee Chairs

2011-2015	Paula K. Braverman, MD, FAAP
2015-2019	Cora C. Breuner, MD, MPH, FAAP
2019-2023	Elizabeth M. Alderman, MD, FSAHM, FAAP

 

SOAH Chairs

2011-2015	Barbara K. Snyder, MD, FAAP
2015-2019	Maria E. Trent, MD, MPH, FAAP
2019-2023	Margaret (Peggy) Stager, MD, FAAP

 

Award Recipients

Hoffman Award

2010	Martin Fisher, MD, FAAP
2011	Richard B. Heyman, MD
2012	Trina Anglin, MD
2013	Elizabeth M. Alderman, MD
2014	Barbara Moscicki, MD
2015	Elizabeth Woods, MD
2016	Daryl Lynch, MD
2017	Michael Rich, MD, FAAP MPH
2018	Neville H. Golden, MD
2019	Jocelyn Elders, MD

 

Founders Award/Richard B. Heyman Award

2010	Charles Wibbelsman, MD, FAAP
2011	James Fitzgibbon, MD, FAAP
2012	Seth Ammerman, MD, FAAP
2013	Laurie Zabin, PhD
2014	Paula Braverman, MD, FAAP
2015	Hoover Adger, MD, FAAP
2016	Peter D. Rogers, MD, MPH, FAAP
2017	Cynthia Robbins, MD/Rebeckah Williams, MD, MPH, FAAP
2018	Lucien Gonzalez, MD, MS, FAAP
2019	Megan Moreno, MD, FAAP

 

Emerging Leader Award

2015	Jennifer H. Chuang, MD, FAAP MS
2016	J. Deanna Wilson, MD, FAAP MPH
2017	Andrea J. Hoopes, MD, FAAP MPH
2018	Sofya Maslyanskaya, MD
2019	Jason Nagata, MD

2020-2023

Suicide Prevention Summit
Reproductive Health Summit
21st Century Cures Act

Memories/Reflections

Paritosh Kaul, MD FAAP, FSAHM
My introduction to the AAP was as a pediatric intern at Montefiore Medical Center. My first rotation was in adolescent medicine, an immigrant physician getting exposed to adolescents in the Bronx. Dr Susan Coupey was the attending and so we got articles from the AMSTARs journal. I was in awe of how those articles were written complete in themselves starting with basics and leading us as the readers to the unknowns. My relationship with SOAH/AAP continued through my adolescent medicine fellowship. As my fellowship director, Dr Elizabeth Alderman and my Division Head, Dr Ken Schonberg introduced me to advocacy and the policy statements. Fast forward, the intern is now a Professor and is on the Editorial Board of AMSTARs. Along with Maria Trent and Krishna Upadhya, I was the guest Editor for the last AMSTARs issue published on Adolescent Contraception: Basics and Beyond. SOAH then decided to publish the first Pediatrics Supplement on Adolescent Health and I was asked to be the Editor along with Marty Fisher. We are now working on our second supplement with Maria Trent and I serve as Co-Editor. In the interim, I was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of SOAH. An honor and I would like to encourage all of us to actively participate and contribute to SOAH. As part of the AAP, we have a stronger voice and can become advocates for the adolescents that are all dear to our work.

Warren Seigel, MD, FAAP
I always wanted to be a pediatrician. In college I became very interested in Behavioral Psychology. I applied to a pediatric residency certain that I wanted to go into Behavioral-Developmental Pediatrics. I wanted to be a holistic pediatrician helping children and their families to improve their lives. I wanted to deal with social, emotional and educational problems. I wanted to avert the issues that I saw plaguing children and their families, and society in general. I wanted to do more than just write a prescription for antibiotics. I thought that training in Behavioral-Developmental Pediatrics would provide a platform from which I could deliver holistic care to my patients.

I was very fortunate to enter my Pediatric Residency at The Brookdale Hospital & Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. There I would meet mentors who would inspire me and change the course of my professional trajectory.

My second rotation in residency found me on the Adolescent Medicine Service. I especially loved talking with the teenagers on the inpatient unit. This happened at a very difficult time in history. It was 1984 and there was a new unnamed disease that was transmitted by sexual intercourse in gay men, IV drug users and blood transfusions. My patients were of a different ethnicity. They were poor. Many came from single parent homes and struggled financially, emotionally and educationally. Very different from the world in which I grew up. As I got to know them, they opened up to me and I was better able to care for them.

After completing my Pediatric Residency, Chief Residency and Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine, I joined the staff of Coney Island Hospital in 1989 as a new attending in Adolescent Medicine. There I found a cherished mentor in then Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Henry Schaeffer. His advocacy and activism for pediatric patients and pediatricians galvanized me and I resolved to be come a voice speaking for patients, pediatricians and adolescent medicine specialists. It was Dr. Schaeffer who introduced me to the work of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). He introduced me to a community of pediatricians who were committed to improving the health and well-being of all children including adolescents and young adults. A community of thousands of general pediatricians, medical and surgical subspecialists, who share a common goal and commitment to improve health care. A group also interested in the patients that I cared for and with whom I was working. I joined the AAP and began meeting with and learning from them.

My first step was to become involved in the Brooklyn Pediatric Society and eventually I became president (1997-1998). During my tenure as president I was able to highlight the importance of the health care needs of adolescents and young adults in Brooklyn and that led me to become involved in the Executive Committee of Chapter 2 New York of the AAP. I began as treasurer and eventually became vice-president and president of the chapter (1999-2005) where once again I was able to work with our local Committee on Adolescence to highlight the physical, psycho-social and developmental issues of adolescents and young adults. As Chapter president (2003-2005), I was able to continue to support the work of our local Committee on Adolescence and continue to promote adolescent health throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Working at the chapter level also gave me an opportunity to learn the workings of national AAP, it’s committees, councils and sections. I became involved in the Section on Adolescent Health (SOAH) and eventually was elected to serve on the Executive Committee as the Membership Chair (2006-2010). This opportunity led me to an appointment as the liaison to the Committee on Adolescence (COA) where I was honored to be involved with the publication “Male Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care” Arik V. Marcell, Charles Wibbelsman, Warren M. Seigel and the Committee on Adolescence in 2011.

In 2010, I was elected District Vice-Chair for New York District II, a role in which I was able to bring increased attention to adolescent and young adult health issues not just in New York, but working with our District Chair, to the AAP board of directors. And in January 2016 I became the District Chair for the New York State AAP and a member of the AAP’s board of directors.

In my current role on the board, I have also been honored to serve on the AAP’s Executive Committee of the Board (2020 to present) and have continued to try to be the voice of adolescent and young adult medicine specifically working on issues such as adolescent reproductive health care, male adolescent health, juvenile justice issues, adolescent confidentiality, sexually transmitted infections, gender identity, mental health issues, etc.

Wherever I have gone in my professional career and in whatever capacity I have served I have been able to bring the Adolescent Medicine perspective to the work being done. I have been able to be a spokesperson for the patients and the families that we serve who so need our continued advocacy. As a member of the AAP’s board of directors I attempt to bring the voice of adolescents and young adults whenever we are reviewing policies, procedures, technical reports etc. Whether the work is related to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), mental health, reproductive rights and justice or transgender care, being able to view all of AAP’s work with adolescents and young adults in mind continues to be a privilege that I truly cherish and am grateful to be able to do.

Throughout my journey I remember and deeply appreciate the people who have influenced and supported my professional evolution including Karen Smith at the AAP, Edie Moore at SAHM, Drs. Neville Golden, Ira Sacker, Henry Schaeffer, Adele Hoffman, Marcie Schneider, Linda Levin, Bob Brown, Rich Kreipe, Gary Remafedi, Miriam Kaufman, Chuck Wibbelsman, Larry Friedman, Sam Parrish, Marty Fisher, Liz Alderman, Paritosh Kaul, David Bell and so many others.

The most important thing that I have learned in my journey is how essential it is to have a supportive community. A community that you can learn from, learn with and work with in order to advance the holistic care of all children, adolescents and young adults. And that is what I have found in the AAP.

Award Recipients

Hoffman Award

2020	Maria E. Trent, MD, FAAP MPH
2021	Warren M. Seigel, MD
2022	Hatim Omar, MD, FAAP
2023	Cora C. Breuner, MD, MPH, FAAP

 

Founders of Adolescent Health/Heyman Award

2020	Krishna Upadhya, MD, FAAP
2021	Laura K. Grubb, MD, MPH, FAAP
2022	Veenod Chulani, MD, FAAP
2023	Peter Asante, MD, FAAP

 

Emerging Leader Award

2020	Scott Hadland, MD
2021	Alison Culyba, MD
2013	Meredithe McNamara, MD