CATCH (Community Access To Child Health) Program
The Community Access To Child Health (CATCH) Program is a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) designed to improve access to health care by supporting pediatricians and communities that are involved in community-based efforts for children.
The CATCH Program provides pediatricians with:
- Training
- Technical Assistance & Resources
- Networking Opportunities
- Funding Opportunities
Mission and Vision
Mission: To support pediatricians who work with communities to ensure that all children have medical homes and access to any other needed health care services. The CATCH mission is built upon several key concepts:
- The medical home
- Local people can solve local problems using local resources
- Pediatricians can make a difference in their communities
- Experiences and successes can be shared. We need to help and support each other
Vision: To ensure every child in every community has a medical home and other needed services to reach optimal health and well-being.
CATCH Network
The CATCH Program believes that learning from and meeting other pediatricians who are interested in community-based activities expands the CATCH network of pediatricians and improves the individualized assistance available for improving children’s access to health care at the community level. Each AAP Chapter in the United States has designated at least one member to serve as a Chapter CATCH Facilitator, each District has designated one member that serves as the District CATCH Facilitator and one member of each District is identified to serve as the Resident CATCH Liaison. In addition, two National Resident CATCH Liaisons are selected by the Section on Medical Students, Residents and Fellowship Trainees. These individuals support community-based programs at the local level by providing their fellow pediatricians and residents with guidance and encouragement.
The CATCH Facilitators' Role is to:
- Provide technical assistance visits
- Assist projects in linking to local resources
- Assist projects in recruiting pediatricians
- Highlight/promote CATCH/HTPCP projects in their community
- Provide technical assistance to potential applicants and grantees
- Review and score CATCH grant applications
How to Become Involved
Pediatricians can be involved in their communities and develop a community-based initiative at various levels of commitment. If you are currently involved in or thinking about becoming more involved in community-based activities, you are encouraged to contact your Chapter CATCH Facilitator.
CATCH Planning Funds
The Community Access To Child Health (CATCH) Planning Funds program provides grants to pediatricians to develop innovative, community-based initiatives that increase children's access to medical homes or to specific health services not otherwise available.
Amy Shriver, the IA AAP Chapter CATCH Facilitator, is available to help from proposal development to project implementation. More information is available at the CATCH website.
