Exciting Opportunity for Ohio AAP Members To Advance Juvenile Justice Advocacy

What’s the news?

The national AAP has partnered with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to support pediatrician advocacy in Ohio to advance important juvenile justice policy. The AAP advocacy team will work with pediatrician leaders and advocates to develop and implement actionable advocacy goals.

What are the goals?

Juvenile detention facilities are vulnerable to rapid spread of COVID-19, and there is an immediate need to advocate for justice-involved youth as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a threat to their health and well-being. It is our goal to ensure that all children who can be safely cared for in their home communities are released as soon as possible to protect them from COVID-19. It is also essential to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in detention facilities and ensure that youth who remain in detention have access to the resources they need, including distance learning materials and frequent contact with family via regular phone calls and video chats.

When will this happen?

As soon as possible! But we need your help. We are looking for pediatricians who are interested in using their voice to educate the public, media, and government leaders on these goals.

What can I do?

If you’re interested in this work, please let us know. This work might entail working with a communications professional to help draft a letter to the editor, set up interviews with press or taking part in media trainings to educate reporters on the needs of youth in the juvenile justice system. Participation can be as simple as working with AAP advocacy staff on placing an op-ed in a local newspaper.

Please contact Melissa Wervey Arnold at marnold@ohioaap.org for more information or to get involved!

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