On August 23rd, Schuyler Center hosted the second in our series of panel discussions about child poverty in New York State and its intersections with other issues and policy areas. Entitled Child Poverty & Health: Intersections and Priorities for NYS, the panel featured several experts in the field of health equity and children’s well-being, including Dr. Benard P. Dreyer, Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo, Dr. Jamila Michener, and Kristin Rivera. Kate Breslin, CEO and President of the Schuyler Center, moderated the panel.
For families experiencing poverty, there are many barriers to consistent, quality health care. This discussion with leading child health and policy experts focused on how New York supports health for all children, opportunities for improvement, and recommendations for action that addresses health goals within child poverty reduction efforts.
About the Panelists:
Dr. Benard Dreyer, Pediatrician, NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital Center – Dr. Dreyer is a general and Development-Behavioral pediatrician who has spent his professional lifetime serving children and families experiencing poverty. A Professor of Pediatrics at NYU, he leads the Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics and is Director of Pediatrics at Bellevue Hospital. He is a Past President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and is currently serving as the AAP’s Medical Director for Policies. Dr. Dreyer served as a member of the committee that authored the new National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report “A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty”.
Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo, Pediatrician and CEO, Strong Children Wellness – Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo has been a practicing pediatrician for the past 14 years in the United States and internationally in several countries across Latin America, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Her perspective on delivery of pediatric care is globally-informed, innovative and unconventional- healthcare can be effectively delivered in non-healthcare settings in the community and must consider not just the child and the disease but also parents, the household, and the larger community. She has served as faculty at Columbia University Medical Center and Cohen Children’s Medical Center, conducting research and training resident physicians in community-engaged pediatrics, social determinants of health and care of global/immigrant populations.
Dr. Jamila Michener, Co-Director, Cornell Center for Health Equity, Cornell University – Dr. Jamila Michener is an Associate professor in the department of Government at Cornell University. Her research focuses on poverty, racial inequality and public policy in the United States. Her recent book, Fragmented Democracy: Medicaid, Federalism and Unequal Politics (Cambridge University Press) examines how Medicaid–the nation’s public health insurance program for people with low income–affects democratic citizenship. Unpacking how federalism transforms Medicaid beneficiaries’ interpretations of government and structures their participation in politics, Fragmented Democracy assesses American political life from the vantage point(s) of those who are living in or near poverty, (disproportionately) Black or Latino, and reliant on a federated government for vital resources.
Kristin Rivera, YPA-C, Regional Youth Partner, Families Together in New York State – Kristin Rivera is a driven, ambitious leader who strives to eliminate barriers in recovery systems. Her passion stems from personal experience living with mental illness and facing difficulties in navigating mental health system during her childhood and into adulthood. Kristin was the first of her family to pursue higher education where she graduated from Binghamton University (SUNY) with degrees in Psychology (B.A.) and Sociocultural Anthropology (B.A.). Before joining Youth Power, Kristin had the privilege of working with youth, young adults, and geriatric communities to assist in educating and empowering individuals on their road to recovery using peer recovery programs, direct care management, and community-based services.
Moderator: Kate Breslin, Schuyler Center President and CEO – With Kate’s leadership, Schuyler Center is building upon its 150-year legacy as a strong, independent voice and coalition-builder. Schuyler Center holds government accountable and helps to shape public debate around policies that affect New Yorkers, with a particular focus on people and communities experiencing poverty and inequity. Kate has spent her career analyzing and advocating in support of thoughtful policy solutions that improve the lives of people in the U.S. and abroad. With Kate at the helm, Schuyler Center led the initiative resulting in New York’s Child Poverty Reduction Act, signed into law in December 2021. Kate plays a leadership role in several statewide coalitions, including Medicaid Matters NY, and she is frequently invited to lead and participate in state and national policy-focused initiatives and workgroups.
Upcoming Discussions
This panel was the second in Schuyler Center’s series of panels exploring the intersections of child poverty and other policy areas, including early childhood, health, and child welfare.
Keep an eye out for information about our September panel, which will be held in-person in Albany.
A recording is available of the June discussion with members of the NYS Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council. The conversation centered on the work the Council has done so far, goals for the coming months, and what lies ahead in pursuit of the Child Poverty Reduction Act goal to reduce the State’s child poverty rate by 50% by 2033. Watch the recording of the June panel here.
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