News from Pediatrics

MAPLE Joins National Network of Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence, Expanding Pediatric Readiness Across the Northeast

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Multi-Hazard Atlantic Pediatric Logistics & Emergency Management (MAPLE) Coalition is the newest Pediatric Disaster Care Center of Excellence (PDCOE). MAPLE is funded by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It joins the Gulf 7 Pediatric Disaster Network (G7), Region V for Kids (RV4K), and the Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management (WRAP-EM).

Led by Boston Children's Hospital, MAPLE will strengthen pediatric disaster preparedness and response across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The coalition brings together children's hospitals, healthcare systems, emergency management, public health, EMS, and healthcare coalitions across the region.

“In a major disaster, children are among the most vulnerable and require specialized pediatric expertise to minimize serious outcomes affecting their medical, psychological and social wellbeing,” said Élise van der Jagt, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Pediatrics and Critical Care at University of Rochester Medicine Golisano Children’s. “In the Northeast there are 11 million children spread out over large rural and dense metropolitan areas. Since pediatric resources are often limited and scattered across this large area of 9 states there needs to be a way where these resources are connected so that the response can be quick, efficient and of the highest quality. The MAPLE Coalition, of which Golisano Children’s is now a part, will be able to optimize that response.“

“The MAPLE Coalition project provides a tremendous opportunity to strengthen partnerships, integrate pediatric emergency response capabilities and ensure that regional children’s hospitals, community hospitals, emergency responders, and all healthcare partners involved during disasters in the Northeast are better prepared to protect and care for children when it matters most,” said Kim Maguda, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at Golisano Children’s.

MAPLE's 13 participating hospitals are:

• Massachusetts: Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Medical Center
• Connecticut: Yale New Haven Children's Hospital; Connecticut Children's Hospital
• Rhode Island: Hasbro Children's Hospital
• Vermont: University of Vermont Medical Center
• New Hampshire: Dartmouth Medical Center
• Maine: Maine General Hospital
• New York: Children's Hospital at Montefiore Einstein; Golisano Children's Hospital (Rochester)
• New Jersey: Children’s Hospital at Cooper Norcross Health
• Pennsylvania: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

MAPLE will provide:

• Regional planning and coordination: standardized pediatric disaster planning for surge, evacuation, transport, and family reunification
• Education and technical assistance: Project ECHO, webinars, simulation, and bedside training for hospitals, EMS, and community partners
• Situational awareness and data: regional pediatric bed mapping, real-time metrics, capacity assessments, and operational dashboards
• Drills and exercises: pediatric disaster tabletops and drills with after-action reports
• Specialized expertise: access to regional experts in pediatric trauma, burns, CBRNE, infectious disease, behavioral health, children and youth with special health care needs, emergency management, and disaster medicine

With MAPLE, the four PDCOEs now span 27 states and Puerto Rico. The centers share expertise, tools, and lessons learned so that every child gets the right care, in the right place, at the right time when disasters strike.

To learn more about MAPLE, email info.maplecoalition@gmail.com.

This project is supported by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 1 U3REP260784-01-00. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ASPR, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

About the Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence

ASPR launched the Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence in 2019 to improve regional disaster care for children. The centers coordinate pediatric disaster care, plan for pediatric medical surge, train health care professionals, and track regional pediatric readiness.

MAPLE. The Multi-Hazard Atlantic Pediatric Logistics & Emergency Management (MAPLE) Coalition is an ASPR-funded PDCOE led by Boston Children's Hospital. It brings together 13 hospitals plus healthcare systems, emergency management, public health, EMS, and healthcare coalitions across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Region V for Kids (RV4K). Led by University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children and originally funded in 2019, RV4K serves six states in the Great Lakes Region, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Its main areas of focus are exercises, disaster behavioral health, education, risk and recovery, trauma, and the national pediatric dashboard.

WRAP-EM. The Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management (WRAP-EM) is an ASPR-funded PDCOE led by UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals and funded in 2019. It serves Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, with a focus on pediatric trauma, burns, infectious disease, CBRN emergencies, and the behavioral health effects of disasters.

Gulf 7 Pediatric Disaster Network (G7). G7 is an ASPR-funded PDCOE led by Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine and funded in 2022. It serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Puerto Rico, helping families, hospitals, and camps prepare for hurricanes, floods, extreme heat, and infectious disease.

Good Day Rochester Marks Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Saturday, September 12, 2026

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Dr. Elizabeth Murray, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics, joined Good Day Rochester to explain what sickle cell disease is and how to help those affected by it.

How 60 Minutes Can Create System Change

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Health care providers and educators aren’t typically trained on how the other system works. A pediatrician recommends a child be evaluated for special education services. The family brings the recommendation to school, expecting a clear next step. But the school has its own legally required process to assess and support the student. A teacher recommends a student be seen by their pediatrician for challenges they feel are consistent with attention deficit disorder. The family expects a one-time office visit and treatment. But the primary care provider needs to perform a thorough assessment that includes the child, family, and school team.

Both systems are trying to help. Yet the family is left to navigate conflicting guidance.

Leaders at University of Rochester Medicine Golisano Children’s created Connecting for Kids (C4K) to bridge the divide between schools, primary care providers, and behavioral health professionals. The structured, efficient model gives teams a way to understand the other’s systems, build trust, and agree on next steps.

Doctors Warn: E-bike Crashes Can Change a Child’s Life

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Pediatrician Elizabeth Murray, D.O., spoke to Rochester First about the growing number of children and teens injured in e-bike and e-scooter crashes. Many of the most serious injuries involve riders who are not wearing helmets. “We can fix broken bones, but when your head or your brain is injured, that is often very hard to recover from and can be life-changing,” she said.

Golisano Children's Pediatric Practice Partnership to Support Newborns and Families Receives Grant to Expand

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

On April 1, URochester Medicine Golisano Children’s Pediatric Practice was announced as one of several Monroe County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) awardees centered on projects improving maternal and newborn health. This ARPA award enables Golisano Children’s, Rochester Regional Health, Jordan Health, Accountable Health Partners, and the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, to expand the scope and geographic reach for the successful ROC Family TeleConnects Program, a community wide initiative designed to provide equitable, proactive outreach, early screening, and seamless connection to community services for newborns and their families.

"Being a new mom or dad is one of life’s most meaningful—and most challenging—moments. For decades, our community has asked a simple question: what would it look like if every family in Monroe County had someone in their corner during those first critical months after bringing a baby home? ROC Family Teleconnects is that answer," said Jaime Saunders, President and CEO of United Way.

ROC Family brings together a collaborative and expert team of registered nurses, community health workers, and behavioral health specialists who work closely with primary care practices to connect with families soon after the birth of their baby. The ROC Family team welcomes new babies and supports their families using evidence based approaches and screening tools to identify strengths and concerns and ensure every family receives the support they need during the critical early months of a child’s life.

“We want to welcome all babies in Monroe County and ensure healthy outcomes for them and their families,” said Jeff Kaczorowski, MD, vice-chair for Community and Government Affairs at Golisano Children’s Hospital. “Our partnership with Rochester Regional Health, Jordan Health, Accountable Health Partners, and primary care practices within our one system of care for children makes this possible.”

The ROC Family TeleConnects program began in 2021 as a collaborative effort between the multiple health systems in the region and United Way. This program has received funding support from NYS’ First 1000 Days Initiative, Excellus, the ESL Charitable Foundation, and now Monroe County.

To date, ROC Family has helped more than 6,000 new babies and their families, working directly with the family’s doctors and nurses to provide important support, such as connecting families with resources for social care needs, checking for and helping with postpartum anxiety and depression, providing assistance for breastfeeding, and assuring families are connected to their primary care healthcare team.

“Every child and family deserves the best start from the very beginning,” said LeKeyah Wilson, MD, Vice President for Community Engagement and Social Impact at Rochester Regional Health. “Health equity begins with pregnant people and babies, and we are looking forward to expanding this vital community program.”

Pediatric Neurology Patients at Golisano Hospital Benefit from Nursing Student and Heisman Winner’s Generosity

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Kids in the pediatric neurology unit at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester received a surprise gift of free Adidas merchandise, thanks to a generous donation from a local nursing student.