International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health

At the end of the conference, participants will be able to:

• Apply new skills, insights, and knowledge about the multiple determinants of health that benefit Indigenous children, youth and communities.
• Develop multisectoral collaboration and partnerships to work towards achieving health equity for Indigenous children, youth and communities.
• Apply an enhanced understanding of culturally responsive care in health interactions with Indigenous youth and families.
• (New) Select strategies and unique solutions to meet the emerging health needs of Indigenous people seeking obstetric and gynecologic care, along with their families, and communities.
• (New) Explore strategies to co-design program, policy and systems changes with community Elders, parents/caregivers, youth, and local health providers
• Employ strategies to support the role of traditional health and healing practices in Indigenous communities.
• Identify the links between the environment and the health of Indigenous children, youth and their families/communities

Conference streams:

• Clinical care and research  
  (e.g., cancer, developmental/behavioral health, epigenetics, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, infectious diseases, injury prevention, mental health promotion, nutrition/obesity/diabetes, oral health, substance use/addictions/opioids/cannabis, immunization)
• Community programs
  (e.g. early childhood learning and development, child welfare, family health, cultural/traditional health, youth engagement, school health)
• Emerging health issues 
  (e.g. social media, AI, equity in practice,  LGBTQ2S+ concerns, gender affirming care, impacts of climate change and environmental injustice)
• (New) Maternal-child health
  (e.g., trauma-informed prenatal care, Indigenous birthing practices, postpartum home visiting, lactation support, and safe sleep education)
• Public policy and health systems 
  (e.g. access to health services, community infrastructure, racism in health care)
• Social drivers of health
  (e.g. food security/food sovereignty, culture, language, education, built and/or natural environments, land-based health or education programs, child welfare)

Submit a Session Proposal

Deadline: September 18, 2026, by 11:59 pm CDT

The Planning Committee welcomes proposals from all disciplines working with children, youth, pregnant women, and families in American Indian, Alaska Native, First Nations, Inuit, Métis and other Indigenous communities. All accepted sessions will be held in person. 

To support your application submission, please review the IMICH Proposal Submission Guidelines. 

A separate call for poster abstracts will be issued in fall 2026.

The application will open in the fall 2026.

For questions, contact the American Academy of Pediatrics at [email protected].