Teens’ privacy doesn’t end in the exam room. Portals and billing systems can make teens' conversations with their clinicians visible to parents. On our blog, Dr. Scott Jelinek & Jenine Pilla reflect on how this impacts care & how systems can do better ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/seen-sa...

Many policy changes don’t target children but they still shape young people’s access to care. We're launching a new series focused on these "blind spots." Radha Pennotti shares 4 priorities related to adolescent health we're watching and where we'll be diving in. youtube.com/shorts/Hdvpo...

📰 FRIDAY READING Black Mothers' Perspectives on Early Autism Screening: A Lesson in Patient Preferences and Provider Trust clinicalfutures.research.chop.edu/black-mother...

NEW Research in Pediatrics Dr. Danielle Cullen and Rachel Brown studied how screening for social risk impacts caregivers desire for and use of social resources like food, housing or transportation. Read the full study ⬇️ doi.org/10.1542/peds...

📰 FRIDAY READING Bridging the Gap: How Neighborhood Opportunity Shapes Follow-Up Care for Adolescents After a Mental Health Crisis policylab.chop.edu/blog/bridgin...

How can Pennsylvania families prepare for upcoming changes to the #Medicaid program? LDI Fellows @bsalazarmd.bsky.social and Diana Montoya-Williams lay out key dates and steps in the Philadelphia @inquirer.com ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/res...

Policymakers’ social media posts on firearm violence often use criminal justice frames, not public health ones. Dr. Vivek Ashok’s new work highlights opportunities to shape more prevention-focused policy communication. Learn more: policylab.chop.edu/blog/explori...

📰 FRIDAY READING Economic Security in Early Childhood as an Engine for Intergenerational Mobility policylab.chop.edu/blog/economi...

Coprescribing or offering #naloxone with opioid prescriptions is linked to fewer overdose deaths—but children & families are often overlooked in these policies. #NDAFW

It has never been more important to consider what states can do to support economic security for children and families. Learn about our new project, led by Maternity Care Coalition, to drive state-level policy conversations to help all PA families thrive. policylab.chop.edu/blog/economi...

In a new Research Letter in @jamapediatrics.com, a team of researchers from #ClinicalFutures & @policylabchop.bsky.social at @childrensphila.bsky.social aimed to determine the percentage of missed opportunities for human papillomavirus (#HPV) vaccination among adolescents. https://bit.ly/4bKFWg2

New research from PolicyLab Faculty Scholar Dr. Vivek Ashok analyzed how PA legislators talked about firearm violence online. Conversations focused on mass shootings but rarely reflected the true health impacts of gun violence. Hear more from Dr. Ashok: policylab.chop.edu/blog/explori...

📰 FRIDAY READING Exploring Social Media Conversations on Firearm Violence & Health. A Q&A With Dr. Vivek Ashok policylab.chop.edu/blog/explori...

As we recognize #DDAM2026, Dr. Kate Wallis helps us understand just how critical #Medicaid coverage is in supporting children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

A deep dive from Spotlight on Poverty with policy analyst Emma Golub on our latest report uplifting evidence behind economic security policies that state policymakers can leverage to support pregnant people, young children and families ⤵️ spotlightonpoverty.org/spotlight-ex...

What prevents pregnant, postpartum people with opioid use disorder from accessing care? From interviews with interest-holders from across PA, PolicyLab researchers developed narratives that merged themes through the lens of four separate perspectives. www.research.chop.edu/cornerstone-...

📰 FRIDAY READING Turning the Page: How Shared Reading and Pediatric Partnerships Can Strengthen Early Literacy and Child Well-Being #NationalReadingMonth policylab.chop.edu/blog/turning...

Nearly a decade after Philadelphia enacted its soda tax, debate continues. Our 2022 Research at a Glance report found Philly's beverage tax was tied to reduced teen soda consumption, a behavior linked to chronic disease. #NationalNutritionMonth Read ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/sites/defaul...

Applications are open for the 2026 Short Course on Multilingual Approaches to Research Studies! 📆 June 1-3 📍 Philadelphia 💰 Scholarships are available Learn more and apply ⤵️ redcap.link/apply_2026MARS

Kudos to PolicyLab researcher Diana Montoya-Williams and director Meredith Matone for sharing expert testimonies on maternal and child health during Philadelphia City Council's hearing examining the city's reproductive health care landscape. Thank you @ninaahmadphl.bsky.social for the opportunity.

📰 FRIDAY READING What to Do if Your Child Engages in Online Gaming Bullying www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/keep...

PolicyLab is now on Substack! Subscribe to our existing newsletter—The Check-Up—and find additional content, like this roundup of our work focused on eating disorder screening and treatment in recognition of #EatingDisorderAwarenessWeek. open.substack.com/pub/policyla...

Today in @publicnewsservice.bsky.social, Rebecka Rosenquist shares how our latest report can help lawmakers understand how early investments in families can change a child’s life trajectory. app.publicnewsservice.org/story/report...

Our sincere gratitude to @pewtrusts.org for their partnership and long-standing support.

NEW: How can pediatricians support Black teens and parents in navigating police encounters? PolicyLab researchers found Black families are open to these conversations and shared ideas for how doctors can help. Read the Pediatrics study:

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's recent #PediatricHealthChat answers questions families across Pennsylvania may be having in anticipation of Medicaid changes. Great to hear from Dr. Cheryl Bettigole on how and when these changes could affect families. www.youtube.com/shorts/0KIfW...

📰 FRIDAY READING More Parents Are Refusing VItamin K Shots for Newborns, Doctors Say. Here's Why That Could Be Dangerous abcnews.com/Health/paren...

Caregivers often skip their own health visits, but rarely miss their child’s. That makes pediatric visits a unique opportunity to care for the parent-child pair together. This #NationalCaregiversDay, learn how dyad care is changing the landscape for caregivers. policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

After a teen visits the ED for depression or suicidal thoughts, follow-up care is critical—it connects them to support & helps prevent another crisis. New PolicyLab research shows that many teens don’t get that care. Where they live can make a difference.

As conversations swirl around upcoming changes to Medicaid and CHIP, PolicyLab researchers and neonatologists Betsy Salazar and Diana Montoya-Williams outline what these changes could mean for families and how families can prepare in @inquirer.com.

Spreading some love (and our mission) this week with a #HealthPolicyValentine

📰 FRIDAY READING Bridging the Gap: How Neighborhood Opportunity Shapes Follow-Up Care for Adolescents After a Mental Health Crisis policylab.chop.edu/blog/bridgin...

With federal immigration policy discussions ongoing, we're re-upping our research from 2024. This report shares Latiné immigrant parents' experiences seeking prenatal care in Philadelphia and how fear and confusion can affect if/when families get care. ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/research-gla...

Policies supporting families’ economic security can improve kids’ health & well-being. With nearly half of kids facing poverty before kindergarten, understanding which policies work matters. Our new brief reviews evidence of how 10 policy areas impact kids. policylab.chop.edu/evidence-act...

LDI Fellow Aditi Vasan studies children’s access to Medicaid and CHIP. Two recent findings shed light on what happened following the COVID-19 public health emergency:

📰 FRIDAY READING Nurturing the Health of Children Through Caregiver Health: Considerations for Advancing Dyad Care in Primary Care policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

Complicated insurance rules can drain time & resources for young adult cancer survivors. Research by Dr. Dan Zheng found that nearly 1 in 3 survivors delayed or skipped care because of confusion around their insurance. #WorldCancerDay Read the study ⤵️ policylab.chop.edu/article/noth...

NEW: Prescribing opioids for pain during birth is linked to persistent postpartum use. Our experts found opioid exposure near delivery was associated w/ higher risk of ongoing use after birth, even for those w/ no prior use. Read the @greenjrnl.bsky.social study ⤵️ pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41264916/

📰 FRIDAY READING Vaccine Policy Changes — Looking Back, Looking Ahead policylab.chop.edu/blog/vaccine...

1 in 4 high school students in the U.S. reported being impacted by #periodpoverty. We collaborated with No More Secrets to share strategies to improve equitable access to menstrual health care and products for adolescents. policylab.chop.edu/issue-briefs...

When vaccine guidance isn’t clearly defined, families and clinicians are left navigating uncertainty.   Our newest blog explains how recent vaccine policy changes complicate real-world decision-making.

NEW: Did school masking reduce COVID spread? PolicyLab researchers studied masking policies during the 2021 return to in-person learning and found lower community infection rates in the 9 weeks after reopening. Read the open access study ⤵️

📰 FRIDAY READING CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center Elevates Science-backed Recommendations in 200 Words policylab.chop.edu/blog/chops-v...

Caregivers impacted by substance use need supports unique to their family context. #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay Our researchers are evaluating community-based programs, examining trends in treatment access & advancing policies enhancing access to care. ➡️ policylab.chop.edu/sites/defaul...

Early childhood mental health care is out there, but families can’t always access it. On the blog, our researchers share what they’ve discovered about evidence-based programs for kids’ mental health that foster early detection and intervention: policylab.chop.edu/blog/nurturi...

Huge win for kids in NJ! 🎉   A new law expands access to preventive behavioral health care for kids, giving them access to screening, prevention & treatment without formal diagnosis.   Our experts discuss this growing trend among state Medicaid programs: policylab.chop.edu/blog/game-ch...

Public programs like Title X have been instrumental to adolescent sexual and reproductive health—especially for teens from low-resource areas. How can we support their well-being in the face of rapid policy change? ⬇️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/what-ch...

📰 FRIDAY READING A Game-changer for Kids’ Behavioral Health: Removing the Diagnosis Requirement policylab.chop.edu/blog/game-ch...

Our partners at CHOP’s Vaccine Education Center are cutting through the noise this season with 4 timely resources to help families make informed decisions. See the roundup ⤵️ policylab.chop.edu/blog/chops-v...

NEW: Dr. Aditi Vasan and @ericaeliason.bsky.social (@rutgerscshp.bsky.social) examined changes in children’s Medicaid enrollment during Medicaid unwinding, with findings suggesting that millions of children lost coverage without transitioning to CHIP.   onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...