Please click on the topics below to access information, materials, and resources for each of the following subjects:

Physician Wellness:

In order to provide the highest quality care for Texas children, physician wellness is a priority. TPS has assembled resources for our members to help you take care of yourself.

• COVID-19 Physician Wellness Guide
• AAP News: AAP committed to member well-being, changing culture in pediatric health care. Includes webinars and resources for physician well-being:
  • “Health care well-being and burnout during COVID-19: Findings from a national survey” from AMA. Discusses results from AMA national assessment that monitors healthcare workers burnout and stress. 
  • The National Institute for Health Care Management webinar, “It’s OK to Not Be OK: Physician Burnout and Mental Health,” explores the idea of burnout and moral injury, which describes the challenge knowing what kind of care patients need but being unable to provide it due to constraints beyond your control). 
  • AAP webinar on Resilience in Stressful Times
  • National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience provided resources and a webinar on well-being strategies and supporting physician well-being during COVID-19. 
  • PeerRx is a free peer-to-peer program that provides support, connection, encouragement, resources and skill-building for physicians and others working in health care.
  • Build personal and professional connections to combat distress with the AAP mentorship program. Find additional resources on the AAP Physician Health and Wellness webpage.

Autism:

Healing Thresholds is a website dedicated to surveying the scientific literature for peer-reviewed studies on autism therapies. Please visit their website at http://autism.healingthresholds.com/ to see a summary of the contents of these papers or to sign up for weekly eBriefs.

ADHD Resources:

• Helping Foster and Adoptive Families Cope With Trauma - ADHD is often over diagnosed and similar symptoms can mask signs of trauma.
• Texas System of Care
• Texas CRCGs
• Find a Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA)
• ADHD Resources for Parents

Border Refugee Information:

• Visit to the Border: What We Learned and What You Can Do
• Pediatrician Advocacy Toolkit
• Partner Advocacy Toolkit
• AAP Immigrant Child Health Toolkit
• AAP Immigrant Child Health Resources
• Houston Chronicle op-ed by AAP President Benard Dreyer, MD
• TMA Border Health Caucus 
• Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Children’s Services
• Pediatrics in Review article “Caring for Refugee Children”
• Caring for Our Children, 4th edition- AAP collaboration with APHA and MCHB listing evidence based standards in health and safety for children in out of home care. 
•  "Border Reflections"- A Trip to the Border by Mark A. Ward, MD

Recent News (updated 1/9/19):

AAP Immigrant Child Health Toolkit for Pediatricians Seeing Unaccompanied Children (click for link)

In light of the escalation of problems at the border and the recent tragic deaths of 2 children, Texas Pediatric Society leadership has been made aware that there will be an increase in the release of unaccompanied children (UAC) from Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) facilities as they are united with their sponsors across the state.  With their sponsors, these children will likely seek medical care in the community of their sponsor.  In addition to the basic needs of every child, these children may have additional issues for which they should be screened.  A link to the AAP Immigrant Child Health Toolkit has been provided below, which you may find useful as you evaluate these children and provide care for their physical, emotional, and social needs. https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Immigrant-Child-Health-Toolkit/Pages/Immigrant-Child-Health-Toolkit.aspx

Recent News (updated 6/2/17):

In mid-May, the TPS and the AAP issued a press release opposing SB 1018, a bill that would have given the state authority to license family immigration detention centers as childcare facilities, allowing for the prolonged detention of asylum-seeking children in prison-like facilities that are devoid of adequate medical and mental health supports. Two of the three US detention centers are in Karnes and Dilley Texas are operated GEO Group and CoreCivic respectively. GEO Group and CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America) are private for-profit prison companies that hold federal contracts with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to detain children and families awaiting hearing for asylum. TPS worked closely with several other advocacy groups to successfully prevent the passage of this bill, which made it through the Senate, but failed make it out of committee in the House.

In 2016, the state briefly granted the licensure of these facilities through the regulatory process, but Grassroots Leadership swiftly brought forth a lawsuit that put an end to the state licensure. Shortly after the final judgement was issued, the 85th Texas Legislative Session began and legislation to grant licensing authority in statute was filed in both the House and Senate. TPS and other advocates went to work educating legislators about the concerns that the legislation would not only allow for the prolonged detention of children in these facilities, but also allow the state to carve out exemptions for these facilities from current state childcare standards, further endangering children and increasing state liability. In March, the AAP published a policy statement co-authored by TPS member, Dr. Marsha Griffin, that explains the background and nature of detention as well as its detrimental effect on children and families. Additionally, Dr. Marsha Griffin and Dr. Kimberly Avila Edwards testified on behalf of TPS during committee hearings throughout session.  

Why the sudden push for state licensure of these facilities? In 1997, the Flores Settlement Agreement posed strict regulations on the detention of children in unlicensed facilities in an effort to steer children toward community-based alternatives. The detention centers have since been operating as “temporary holding facilities” for children and families and the corporations that operate them have been pushing for state licensure. GEO Group, the company that runs the Karnes detention facility, stated in SEC filings, “Presently, the center operates as a short-term processing facilities and this licensing process will allow for longer lengths of stay.” What do the companies who operate these centers stand to gain from licensure? While most people seeking asylum have family, friends or other community-based alternatives to accommodate them throughout the process of seeking asylum, these private prison companies saw an opportunity to profit from the influx of asylum seekers by contracting with the federal government to detain asylum seekers. CoreCivic makes $300 per person per day through the detention of children and families in the Dilley detention center. The ability to hold children and families for longer periods of time puts money directly into the pockets of the companies who operate these facilities. Texas pediatricians and other advocates made it abundantly clear throughout the regulatory and legislative attempts to license these facilities that detention centers are no place for children.

As the legislative session came to a close, the TPS and AAP issued another press release applauding the Texas House of Representatives for leaving the bill pending in committee. 

Previous News (updated 12/9/16):

The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) released a statement that, "Over the weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hurriedly released over 460 mothers and children from Karnes and Dilley Family Detention Center to Casa RAICES in San Antonio, Texas. This massive release to our shelter came after an Austin judge sided with Texas advocates and detained families and ruled against the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, as well as GEO and CoreCivic, the two private prison companies that operate Karnes and Dilley, by issuing a final judgement which prevented the Texas DFPS from issuing child care licenses to ICE controlled family detention centers."

According to RAICES' statement, "The families released over the weekend were in various stages of the legal processes that normally take place in detention, which stands against ICE’s long standing claim that detention is necessary for families to undertake legal processing prior to release. Approximately 25% of families were released without a credible fear interview. The majority of families were released without travel plans, forcing RAICES staff and volunteers to work until 4:00 AM on Saturday night to communicate with families and arrange travel. RAICES has opened additional shelter space at a local church and convent in San Antonio to accommodate the overflow from our shelter."

To read the full statement from RAICES and for contact information to find out more, click here. 

Previous TPS Activities:

During the 2015 Annual Leadership and Planning Summit (ALPS) guest speakers, Dr. Kenneth Smith Ph.D. and Dr. Rebecca Hester MA, Ph.D. from UTMB presented, “Addressing the Health Needs of Child Refugees from Central America”  which discussed the crisis of immigrant children in Texas. For access to that presentation click here.

TPS released a statement on the increasing number of refugee children at the southern Texas border. TPS urgently calls upon state and federal agencies to come together with charitable organization to assist these children.  

In December 2015, four TPS members visited a family residential center in Karnes City: Dr. Kim Avila Edwards, Dr. Lauren Gambill, Dr. Jim Lukefahr, and Dr. Joyce Mauk. This issue has also been a priority for the AAP.

CATCH - Community Access to Child Health:

CATCH is a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) designed to improve access to health care through community-based efforts. The program began in 1991 and receives funding from a variety of sources.

The mission of CATCH is to support pediatricians who work with communities to ensure that all children have medical homes and access to other needed health caservices. To achieve this goal, the CATCH Program provides pediatricians with training, technical assistance, peer support, networking opportunities, and funding opportunities for project development.

For more information on CATCH, grant funding, and projects that have been previously awarded funding, please click here.

Child Abuse:

• Medical Evaluation of Sexual Abuse Manual
• TPS Sexual Abuse Protocol
• TPS Version of Inpatient Clinical Practice Guideline for Child Abuse

Child and Family Safety:

In times of national tension, children may experience increased exposure to violence, racial bias or other adverse events in their social environments. The American Academy of Pediatrics shared the following links in order to help physicians and parents support children when faced with these complex and difficult circumstances. 

• Childhood Exposure to Violence

• Talking to Children About Racial Bias
• How to Support Your Child’s Resilience in a Time of Crisis

Diabetes

TPS and Beyond Type 1 partnered for an educational campaign on Type 1 diabetes in November and December of 2016. Read more here.

Printable Resources:

• Warning Signs Poster - English
• Warning Signs Poster - Spanish
• Type 1 Diabetes Handout

Disaster Preparedness

Texas is prone to disasters of all kinds, from severe weather events to industrial accidents. Many of the victims of humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters are children, and pediatric expertise in responding to the needs of children in these situations is important. In support of our members, TPS has compiled a list of resources to help prepare for emergencies and natural disasters. For more information go to https://txpeds.org/disaster-preparedness-practices.

• 2018 AAP Webinar: Hurricanes and Storms: From Preparedness to Recovery, Strategies for a Brighter Future (Webinar Archive and Webinar Slides)
• 2015 Disaster Preparedness News from the AAP
• AAP Pediatric Preparedness Resource Kit
• AAP Preparedness Checklist for Pediatric Providers
• TexasPrepares.org: free resources for community leaders
• CDC: Caring for Children in a Disaster
• Georgia Chapter Disaster Preparedness
• TPS Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Infrastructure System Overview (ISO): Extended
  Electric Outages

Hurricanes, Hill Country Floods, and Texas Disaster Resources:

Dallas area Tornado Disaster:
10/20/19
AAP and Children and Disasters Website  www.aap.org/disasters and Hurricanes/Storms.
After a Tornado section on this CDC page
Helping Children Cope and Adjust  www.aap.org/disasters/adjustment
Information for Pediatric Practices  www.aap.org/disasters/PediatricPractice
Clean-up Efforts section of the Floods/Flash Floods
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) resource
Hurricane Recovery, but it applies to other disaster situations.
FEMA page Be Safe AFTER

Hill Country Floods:

10/22/18 - The Texas State Board of Pharmacy has issued guidance (PDF) for the emergency dispensing of prescription medications as a result of the Hill Country floods. Please take a look at the link above.

Disease Reporting/Notifiable Conditions

The Disease Reporting/Notifiable Conditions page of the DSHS website is a handy reference for physicians. The page includes notifiable conditions, investigation and surveillance forms, reporting forms, epi case criteria, CDC case definitions, antibiotic resistant isolate, blood lead level reporting, cancer reporting, contaminated sharps injury, electronic reporting (NEDSS), HIV/STD reporting, laboratory reporting, and TB forms. Please click on the links above to access information on a particular topic or visit the website at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/conditions/default.asp.

Please click on the links above to access information on a particular topic or visit the website at:

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/conditions/default.asp.

Drowning Prevention

• AAP's Drowning Prevention Policy
• Drowning Prevention Resources for Pediatricians- Texas Drowning Prevention Alliance

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention:

• Amplification, Implants, and FM Systems for Infants & Young Children with Hearing Loss
• Genetics of Early Childhood Hearing Loss The Facts
• Beyond Newborn Hearing Screening: Recognizing the Signs of Late Onset Hearing Loss in Infants and Young Children

Forms:

• C-33 Form (immunization changes on TVFC)
• Statewide ECI Referral Form
• Doctors. Saving Lives. Patient Safety Resources Order Form

Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Visit the TPS HPV webpage for additional information on the HPV vaccine.

Infectious Diseases:

• Other Zika Resources:
• DSHS Zika website: http://texaszika.org/
• AAP Zika Information: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Children-and-Disasters/Pages/ZikaVirus.aspx
• CDC Zika Information: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/

The Texas Pediatric Society Infectious Diseases Committee is pleased to provide updated information on respiratory viral surveillance in children in our state. Visit the TPS RSV page additional information. 

Per Texas DSHS RSV website “Individual cases of RSV are not reportable by law in Texas.RSV data are reported voluntarily by sentinel Texas laboratories on a weekly basis through the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sentinel providers report both the number of RSV tests performed and the number of positive tests detected on a weekly basis.”

RSV activity is shown by Texas DSHS as number of tests performed, number of tests positive, and the percent of tests positive at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/IDCU/disease/rsv/Data/. A line indicates a cutoff of 3% for the percent positive RSV PCR tests. The definition of the start of the RSV season is the first of 2 consecutive weeks with ≥3% positive RSV PCR tests.

Historically, this information was submitted by an increasing number of clinical microbiology labs that serve large numbers of children in different regions around the state. This began as a voluntary unfunded program with the Centers for Disease Control, Texas Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Pediatric Society with 8 labs representing larger pediatric centers around the state. It expanded with the addition of many more hospital laboratories with some support from MedImmune, via SDI. All of this data was combined at the CDC, in the NREVSS database. It was returned to Texas to clean up and present. The sites were grouped into regions and the data from those areas are combined. A list of the current sites and their grouping was provided. This was done for several years by Diana Newton and Dr. Don Murphey at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth.

Elise Huebner, MS, CPH, CIC, currently serves as the acting RSV/Flu Surveillance Coordinator at Texas DSHS in Austin. The Texas RSV task force is chaired by Dr. Manjusha Gaglani and includes some of the TPS Infectious Disease Committee members. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Gaglani at Manjusha.Gaglani@bswhealth.org or call 254-935-5047. (Updated 8/3/2021).

• AAP Interim Guidance for Use of Palivizumab Prophylaxis (8/10/2021): "The AAP recognizes the importance of maintaining flexible approaches including early initiation of palivizumab administration during this atypical interseasonal change in RSV epidemiology in 2021. Pediatric health care leaders will be key leaders to inform ongoing need in communities warranting specialized consideration. The need for palivizumab administration to eligible infants during this atypical interseason should be supported where activity approaches fall-winter season and should be reassessed at least monthly. This guidance document is not meant to supplant typical seasonal palivizumab administration guidance.”
• Updated AAP Guidance for Palivizumab Prophylaxis Among Infants and Young Children at Increased Risk of Hospitalization for Respiratory Syncytial Virus
• AAP Guidance on the Prevention of RSV in High Risk Infants (from Red Book)
• RSV Information for Healthcare Professionals (CDC)

• Atypical Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Season Advisory (July 21, 2021)
• HHSC to Reopen RSV Season in Select Regions (Update as of 7/16/2021)
• 2020-21 RSV Schedule by Texas Public Health Regions
• Palivizumab/Synagis Vendor Drug Program
• ADDITIONAL RSV INFORMATION

• CDC Flu Activity and Surveillance
• 2020-2021 Texas Influenza Surveillance Activity
• Flu Star (national flu activity tracking map and app)
• Immunization Action Coalition Vaccine Handout: Flu  
• CDC: How to Prevent Flu: provides actions you can take to fight the flu, a summary infographic, and digital resources  

Ensuring children stay up-to-date on immunizations and providing patients and families with trusted information on immunizations has never been more important

Immunizations are an essential tool to prevent disease and have played a crucial role in nearly eradicating many diseases. Immunizations provide a safe, effective way to protect children from disease, including some cancers, as well as hospitalization, disability, and death (AAP). AAP policy calls for the on-time, routine immunization of all children and adolescents, read more here.  

• Recommended Immunization Schedules: DSHS, AAP (2021)
• Learn more about the Texas Vaccines for Children Program or learn more about enrolling in TVFC here.  
• Find helpful tools, research, and courses in the AAP Immunization Newsletter (July 2021). 

• AAP has an Immunizations Campaign Toolkit with social media suggestions and articles for parents.

• Read more about communicating with families and promoting vaccine confidence, communicatively effectively about immunizations, and responding to parental concerns.
• Sample vaccine recommendation strategy: Making a Strong Flu Vaccine Recommendation (SHARE)
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's "Just the Vax" Toolkit has audience-specific and vaccine-specific fact sheets and trivia games to increase access to vaccine information. 
• National Foundation on Infectious Diseases has articles on how to support vaccination and promote vaccine acceptance along with the impact of strong vaccine recommendations and sharing accurate information.
• Immunization apps for healthcare professionals and patients provide access to vaccine information on your phone.  
• Worksheet: Suggestions to Improve Your Immunization Services
• The CDC has several childhood immunization resources including communication tools for encouraging vaccines, a Childhood Vaccination Toolkit for Clinicians, and printable fact sheets on making vaccine recommendations for preteens and teens.
• The #HowIRecommend Vaccination Video Series from the CDC
• Tools for approaching vaccine hesitancy: 
  • AAP guidance for talking with vaccine-hesitant parents
  • Learn about how to train parents as immunization advocates to reduce vaccine hesitancy here.

The Texas Medical Association and the Texas Pediatric Society are excited to offer ready-to-use letters to the editor that you may send to your local newspaper and publications. Feel free to pick your favorite, add your name, and send. Please send the letters as an individual pediatrician with your name and city. If you plan on using any title, please check with your practice or institution for approval.  We encourage you to customize each letter with statistics from your practice or community, keeping in mind that LTE’s are usually limited to no more than 150 words maximum. 

ImmTrac2:

Medicaid

Resources for Medicaid Physicians

• Link to enroll as a Texas Medicaid Provider
• TAHP Service Coordination Guide
• Webinar: Texas Medicaid Coverage of Asthma-Related Services and Drugs

Patient Facing Materials to Help Patients Enroll

• Communications Toolkit - Keep Your Contact Information with Texas Medicaid Up to Date
• Texas Medicaid Enrollment Information
  • Brochure (English and Spanish)
  • Income limit card (English and Spanish)
  • Poster (English and Spanish)
• Links for Clients to Apply for Benefits
  • General information website on all state benefits to include Medicaid/CHIP
  • Website for the Community Partner Program - links Texans who need assistance applying for benefits with community-based organizations in their area who can help
• Resources for Patients to Understand Public Charge

Medical Education:

CME Opportunities

Update on Texas Medical Board-New CME RequirementsNew Opioid CME Requirements During the 86th legislative session, in an effort to combat the opioid crisis in Texas, there were multiple bills passed requiring physicians, physician assistants and other licensees to complete certain specific opioid related continuing medical education.  These new CME requirements related to opioids will be part of the Opioid Workgroup being formed by TMB to address the on-going public health crisis in a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach. This requirement applies to the renewal of a license on or after September 1, 2020.

New Human Trafficking Prevention CME Requirement House Bill 2059 (86th Legislature) requires physicians, physician assistants, and any licensee of the TMB’s advisory boards or committees that provide direct patient care, to complete a human trafficking prevention course approved by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This requirement applies to the renewal of a license on or after September 1, 2020.

HHSC is the approving body for the human trafficking prevention requirement. HB 2059 requires HHSC to approve training courses on human trafficking, including at least one that is free of charge, post a list of approved trainings on its website and update the list of approved trainings as necessary.

HHSC now has an approved course available, which is free of charge, that satisfies the requirements for all licensees impacted by HB 2059.

• See HHSC's Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training page to access the course and for more information about this requirement.

Medical Home:

• Tools and Resources
• Online Resource Guide
• Technical Assistance and Support
• Texas Pediatric Medical Home Initiatives

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Resilience During Stressful Times and Connecting During Times of Trauma
• The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare: Compassion in Action Webinar Series
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Physician Health & Wellness
• Physician Support Line: 1-888-409-0141
• Your Child's Feelings Matter (Texas Pediatric Society and Texas Medical Association resource to support children's behavioral health during the COVID-19 pandemic) Spanish version here

Articles:

The National Academy of State Health Policy and The Commonwealth Fund has issued the report, Improving the Delivery of Health Care that Supports Young Children's Healthy Mental Development: Update on Accomplishments and Lessons from a Five-State Consortium. The Commonwealth Fund provided grant money to NASHP to implement pilot programs in five states to test ways to improve mental health services for children.; This report updates information on the results of those pilots.

Newborn Screening/Genetics:

• The DSHS Texas Newborn Screening Program requires that two blood specimens be collected from each newborn: One 24 to 48 hours after birth, and a second is collected one to two weeks after birth. The state’s public health laboratory analyzes the screens. The DSHS laboratory now screens the samples for 55 conditions. 
• Newborn Screening - Healthcare Provider Resources
• Newborn Screening Notices: includes updates on lab hours, fee changes, and NBS awareness
• The Newborn Screening Program provides educational materials at no cost. Brochures and other publications are available in English and Spanish for healthcare providers, parents, and medical staff. View and order free publications and educational materials related to:
  • Blood spot tests 
  • Texas Health Steps Resource Catalog
  • You also can call (512) 776-3957 to order publications.
• Mountain States Regional Genetics Network Developmental Delay Algorithm and Genetic Resources
• COVID Genetic Resources English, Spanish

Critical Congenital Heart Disease

Reporting babies diagnosed with Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) is mandatory in Texas since September 2014. Learn more about CCHD and review the CCHD reporting form and frequently asked questions.

The CCHD Toolkit provides educational and technical information on screening for CCHD, including the screening algorithm card, brochures, and other information for physicians and nurses. 

Texas Early Hearing Detection and Interven​tion

Obesity:

The Texas Pediatric Society Obesity Toolkit offers practical guidelines to aid pediatric practitioners in the prevention, early recognition, and clinical care of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese.

Patient Safety:

• In times of national tension, children may experience increased exposure to violence, racial bias or other adverse events in their social environments. The American Academy of Pediatrics shared the following links in order to help physicians and parents support children when faced with these complex and difficult circumstances. 
  • Childhood Exposure to Violence
  • Talking to Children About Racial Bias
  • How to Support Your Child’s Resilience in a Time of Crisis

• Doctors. Saving Lives. Campaign
• Hard Hats for Little Heads promotes fun exercise, and teaches parents and children the importance of wearing a properly fitted helmet. The Texas Pediatric Society, the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TPS) offers its members a unique benefit. TPS will cover the cost of up to 25 helmets for its members who host a helmet giveaway. TMA provides an equal match of free helmets on these purchases, so TPS members can get up to 50 helmets to give away at no cost.
• TheLearn the Signs. Act Early campaign has developed a free resource kit of materials on child development and autism for day care providers and teachers to share with parents of children in their care. The Child Care Provider Resource Kit, along with resources for parents and pediatricians, are available for free at http://www.cdc.gov/actearly
• The Texas Academy of Family Physicians has recently teamed up with the Texas Department of State Health Services to bring Tar Wars to Texas. This vital program has helped many kids stay tobacco-free through its innovative and interactive lesson plan in elementary schools throughout Texas and the U.S. Tar Wars invites doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, students/ residents and other community health advocates to present a one-time, one-hour scripted and interactive lesson plan to 4th and 5th graders to discourage youth taobacco use. Since its inception in 1988, Tar Wars has reached over 7 million kids worldwide. More information and a place to sign-up as a presenter is available at www.tafp.org/tarwars

Practice Management:

AAP Coding Resources

• Please submit all coding questions to the AAP Coding Hotline  aapcodinghotline@aap.org
• The AAP has a collection of coding resources listed on www.aap.org/coding. We encourage you to bookmark this page and refer to it as often as needed. Most are free resources or member benefit. 
• Also, there is a collection of coding news articles from AAP News. There is a monthly column called “Coding Corner” so feel free to look over the past year’s articles: http://www.aappublications.org/collection/coding-corner

Safe Sleep Environment:

• Position Statement: Safe Sleep for Infants - Texas State Child Fatality Review Team Committee
• A Parents’ Guide to Safe Sleep - American Academy of Pediatrics
• Consumer Product Safety Alert: Crib Sheets- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Crib Safety Tips (English)- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Crib Safety Tips (Spanish)- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• AAP Talking Points on Vaccine Reimbursement

Velocardialfacial Syndrome:

SB 1612 was passed in 2009 to increase awareness of Velocarardialfacial Syndrome(a.k.a. DiGeorge or 22q11.2 deletion) in Texas. As a result parents whose children are receiving services for developmental delays through the state’s Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) programs may be contacting their pediatricians to ask whether their child may need genetic testing for the 22q11.2 deletion. For more information, please visit: http://www.txpeds.org/sites/txpeds.org/files/documents/vcfs.pdf.

Miscellaneous Information:

• Advocacy
• Practice Management
• Office Managers Section
• Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents
• Pedialink: The AAP Online Learning Center
• Prohibiting Concealed or Open Carry Handguns on Private Property​ and ordering no carry signs

Find a Pediatrician - VIA the American Academy of Pediatrics

Use this tool to search for an AAP member pediatrician, pediatric sub-specialist, or pediatric surgical specialist.

Texas Medical Board

TPS does not provide a referral service. However, we are pleased to refer you to the Texas Medical Board, the State agency which licenses all physicians in Texas.

The TMB website we are referring you to will allow you to search for a physician by name or by city.

On the TMB website you must first "Accept the Terms and Conditions." Then ‘Enter Search Criteria’ page, click on ‘License Type’ and then select Physician. It will then display a ‘Specialty’ drop box and you may enter the ‘pediatric specialty’ and the city to receive the names and background information of pediatricians in the area you are searching for.

• The 81st Texas Legislature passed a bill creating a new physician loan repayment program that will pay up to $160,000 to physicians who agree to practice for four years in primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas, many of which are located in rural communities as well as urban centers.
• The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the final rules in October 2009. This page will be updated as the program is implemented. Please note that official information about the program can be accessed through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or the Texas Department of State Health Services
• The Health Resources and Services Administration is now accepting new applications to support loan repayment for bonafide educational debt for primary care medical, dental and certain behavioral/mental health clinicians who want to work at National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites. In exchange for the loan repayment assistance, clinicians serve for two years with the Corps. The new funds, totaling almost $200 million, are expected to support about 3,300 clinicians that will serve in health centers, rural health clinics and other health outpatient/ambulatory care sites that care for uninsured and underserved people.

Resource Links

• http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/default.shtm
• http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/
• Texas Academy of Family Physicians