One Pediatrician Can Make a Difference
The Community Access To Child Health (CATCH) Program is a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics that increases children's access to medical homes or specific health services supporting pediatricians and communities who are involved in community-based efforts for children. The CATCH Program began in 1991 under a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. With the commitment of the AAP Board of Directors, the CATCH Program is an integral component of the AAP Department of Community Pediatrics.

Grants related to oral health are listed in the blue sidebar to the right. Click on VIEW ALL at the bottom of the column to bring up a list of all grants. Click on individual grant titles to view information about a particular grant

The CATCH Program provides pediatricians with:

· Training
· Technical Assistance and Resources
· Peer Support and Networking Opportunities
· Funding Opportunities

CATCH Vision Statement
The vision of CATCH is that every child in every community has a medical home and other needed services to reach optimal health and well-being.

CATCH Mission Statement
The mission of CATCH is to support pediatricians who work with communities to assure that children have medical homes and have 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.

How to Become Involved
Each pediatrician who is dedicated to the health of children in the community or specific underserved populations is important to the CATCH Program. Pediatricians can be involved in their communities and develop a community-based initiative at various levels of commitment. Thus, pediatricians currently involved in, or thinking about becoming more involved in community-based activities, are encouraged to contact CATCH Program staff or their Chapter CATCH Facilitator. Becoming a part of the CATCH network provides recognition for a pediatrician's efforts while assisting other pediatricians with similar interests.

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