Irwin Redlener

Last updated
Irwin Redlener
Iredlener-photo small.JPG
Born
New York City, New York, U.S.
Education Hofstra University (BS)
University of Miami (MD)

Irwin Redlener is an American pediatrician and public health activist who specializes in health care for underserved children and disaster planning, response, and recovery. He is the author of The Future of Us: What the Dreams of Children Mean for 21st Century America (2017/2020) and the author of Americans at Risk: Why We Are Not Prepared for Megadisasters and What We Can Do Now (2006). [1]

Contents

Redlener is an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s School for International and Public Affairs, as well as the Founding Director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.

Redlener is co-founder (along with Karen Redlener) of the Ukraine Children's Action Project, which was founded in May 2022 in response to the displacement of children and families consequent to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. UCAP focuses on supporting the educational continuity and mental health of displaced children in Ukraine and Poland.

He is also a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine as well as  president emeritus and co-founder (with singer-songwriter Paul Simon and Karen Redlener) of Children's Health Fund (CHF).

Background

Redlener was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received his B.A. from Hofstra University in 1964 and his M.D. from the University of Miami in 1969. In 1971, while a pediatric resident at University of Colorado Medical Center, Redlener left his program to serve as the medical director of an AmeriCorps VISTA health center in Lee County, Arkansas, the sixth poorest county in the U.S. [2] During this time, he met his future wife, Karen, a VISTA volunteer who organized the region's first social services and child development program. The two have worked together since. [3]

Career

Redlener served as the director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida. He also worked on disaster relief efforts in Honduras and Guatemala, [3] and created a new Child Action Center in Miami to study and treat child abuse. In 1979, after a brief stint in neonatal intensive care at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, he briefly worked as a community pediatrician in Utica, New York. He also served as chairman of the national executive committee of Physicians for Social Responsibility, a public health organization promoting the prevention of nuclear war. [2]

In 1985, Redlener joined the board of USA for Africa as the organization's medical director and director of grants, where he met Paul Simon. [2] In 1987, Redlener, Paul Simon, and Karen Redlener founded the Children's Health Fund to provide health care to homeless and medically underserved children in New York City. The program began with a single mobile medical unit funded by Simon and designed by Karen Redlener. [4] As of 2023, the organization had 25 programs with more than 50 mobile medical units in underserved rural and urban communities throughout the United States. [5] Karen Redlener remains with the Fund, currently serving on CHF’s Board of Directors. [3]

Redlener also served as head of outpatient pediatrics at Cornell/New York Hospital (1987–1990) and head of community pediatrics at Montefiore Medical Center (1990–2003). [2] Redlener designed and oversaw the development of the Children's Hospital at Montefiore and served as its president from 2001 to 2003.

During the 1992 presidential campaign, Redlener was chairman of the National Health Leadership Council, a group of 300 health professionals who supported Bill Clinton's candidacy. In 1993 and 1994, he was part of the White House Task Force on National Health Care Reform, serving as the vice-chairman of its Health Professional Review Group. [6] He was also a founding member of the Task Force on Terrorism of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2001.

In April 2000, Redlener was engaged by Doris Meissner, Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to provide strategic guidance regarding the management of the Elián González case. He claimed in a letter to INS that based on weeks of studying the case including a "propaganda 40-second video of 7-year-old Elian," he “is now in a state of imminent danger to his physical and emotional well-being in a home that I consider to be psychologically abusive.” He urged that the government immediately remove the "horrendously exploited” Elian from the “bizarre and destructive ambiance” of his Miami relatives and returned to his biological father. [7] Eleven Cuban-American doctors dismissed Redlener's opinion for not “having obtained a medical history, performed a physical examination or other proper psychological evaluations of Elian." [8] Redlener strongly refuted the premise of these assertions and suggested that his critics had no understanding of how to diagnose psychological child abuse. Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson said Redlener was "neither a psychiatrist nor a psychologist and who has never examined the young Cuban refugee." [9]

In 2003, Redlener was recruited to the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University to establish the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP). Since 2003, Redlener has served as the founding director of NCDP, working to improve public policy and resources, as well as citizens’ individual preparedness. [10] In 2013, the NCDP moved from the Mailman School to join Columbia University's Climate School before joining the affiliated faculty of the Institute of Global Policy chaired by Secretary Hillary Clinton and SIPA dean Keren Yarhi-Milo.

In May 2009, Redlener was appointed to the National Commission on Children and Disasters. [11] In 2010, in part due to his research on the health effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, [12] the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling appointed Redlener to serve as the Commission's Special Consultant on Public Health. [13]

On November 15, 2012, following Hurricane Sandy, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Redlener co-chair of the NYS Ready Commission, which was tasked with finding ways to ensure critical systems and services are prepared for future natural disasters and other emergencies. [14]

On June 17, 2014, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio named Redlener special advisor with a focus on emergency management and planning to support and advise the administration's citywide disaster preparedness and response efforts. [15]

Later, in 2017, Redlener worked with singer Marc Anthony to create Somos Una Voz to support the recovery of Puerto Rico following the devastation brought by Hurricane Maria.

In 2020, Redlener and the singer Cher co-founded Cher Cares, a charity supporting disadvantaged communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. [16] [17] [18] From 2022 -2022, Redlener was head of Columbia University's Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative. [16] [18] [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pediatrics</span> Branch of medicine caring for children

Pediatrics also spelled paediatrics or pædiatrics, is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, pediatrics covers many of their youth until the age of 18. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends people seek pediatric care through the age of 21, but some pediatric subspecialists continue to care for adults up to 25. Worldwide age limits of pediatrics have been trending upward year after year. A medical doctor who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician, or paediatrician. The word pediatrics and its cognates mean "healer of children", derived from the two Greek words: παῖς and ἰατρός. Pediatricians work in clinics, research centers, universities, general hospitals and children's hospitals, including those who practice pediatric subspecialties.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is the largest professional association of pediatricians in the United States. It is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, and maintains an office in Washington, D.C. The AAP has published hundreds of policy statements, ranging from advocacy issues to practice recommendations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. Berry Brazelton</span> American pediatrician and author (1918–2018)

Thomas Berry Brazelton was an American pediatrician, author, and the developer of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Brazelton hosted the cable television program What Every Baby Knows, and wrote a syndicated newspaper column. He wrote more than two hundred scholarly papers and twenty-four books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montefiore Medical Center</span> Hospital in New York, United States

Montefiore Medical Center is a premier academic medical center and the primary teaching hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York City. Its main campus, the Henry and Lucy Moses Division, is located in the Norwood section of the northern Bronx. It is named for Moses Montefiore and is one of the 50 largest employers in New York. In 2020, Montefiore was ranked No. 6 New York City metropolitan area hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Adjacent to the main hospital is the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, which serves infants, children, teens, and young adults aged 0–21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Disaster Medical System</span> American organization

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) is a federally coordinated disaster medical system and partnership of the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Homeland Security (DHS), Defense (DOD), and Veterans Affairs (VA). The purpose of the NDMS is to support State, local, Tribal and Territorial authorities following disasters and emergencies by supplementing health and medical systems and response capabilities. NDMS would also support the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs health care systems in caring for combat casualties, should requirements exceed their capacity. The NDMS was established in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital</span> Hospital in New York, United States

Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is a women's and children's hospital at 3959 Broadway, near West 165th Street, in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It is a part of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The hospital treats patients aged 0–21 from New York City and around the world. The hospital features a dedicated regional ACS designated pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center and is named after financial firm Morgan Stanley, which largely funded its construction through philanthropy.

Charles Lawrence Schleien is an American pediatrician, the Philip Lanzkowsky Professor of Pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief at Northwell Health as of May 1, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joxel García</span>

Joxel García is a Puerto Rican physician and a former four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He served as the fourteenth Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from March 13, 2008, to January 20, 2009. He served as the Director of Health in the District of Columbia. He served as the Executive Director of the MD Anderson Cancer Control and Prevention Platform and Member of the Leadership Team of the MD Anderson Moon Shots program until May 2017 before joining American Express as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luther Emmett Holt</span> American pediatrician and author

Luther Emmett Holt was an American pediatrician and author, noted for writing The Care and Feeding of Children: A Catechism for the Use of Mothers and Children's Nurses in 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Rodríguez Trías</span> American pediatrician and activist (1929–2001)

Helen Rodríguez Trías was an American pediatrician, educator and women's rights activist. She was the first Latina president of the American Public Health Association (APHA), a founding member of the Women's Caucus of the APHA, and a recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal. She is credited with helping to expand the range of public health services for women and children in minority and low-income populations around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American College of Pediatricians</span> Conservative advocacy group

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a socially conservative advocacy group of pediatricians and other healthcare professionals in the United States, founded in 2002. The group advocates in favor of abstinence-only sex education and advocates against vaccine mandates, abortion rights and rights for LGBT people, and promotes conversion therapy. As of 2022, its membership has been reported at about 700 physicians. Despite their name, ACPeds is not a college and does not confer degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's Health Fund</span> Nonprofit organization in the U.S.

Children's Health Fund (CHF) is a nonprofit organization that provides health care to children and families on mobile medical clinics throughout the United States. CHF was founded in 1987 by singer/songwriter Paul Simon and pediatrician/advocate Irwin Redlener. The organization began with a single mobile medical unit funded by Simon and designed by Redlener's wife, Karen. More than 20 years later, the organization has 23 programs with more than 50 mobile medical units and is the nation's leading provider of mobile-based health care for homeless and low-income children and their families. Karen Redlener remains with CHF, currently serving as the organization's executive director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadine Burke Harris</span> Pediatrician and first Surgeon General of California

Nadine Burke Harris is a Canadian-American pediatrician who was the Surgeon General of California between 2019 and 2022; she is the first person appointed to that position. She is known for linking adverse childhood experiences and toxic stress with harmful effects to health later in life. Hailed as a pioneer in the treatment of toxic stress, she is an advisory council member for the Clinton Foundation's "Too Small to Fail" campaign, and the founder and former chief executive officer of the Center for Youth Wellness. Her work was also featured in Paul Tough's book How Children Succeed.

Grace Marilyn James was an American pediatrician in Louisville, Kentucky. When she began practicing medicine in 1953, the hospitals in Louisville were racially segregated by law. At the University of Louisville School of Medicine she was the first African-American physician on the faculty. She was also one of the first two African-American women on the faculty at any southern medical school. Additionally, she was first African-American woman to serve as an attending physician at Louisville's Kosair Children's Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Weitzman</span> American pediatrician

Michael Weitzman is an American pediatrician specializing in public health and policy. He is known for his research focusing on the social and environmental determinants of child health. He has published over 150 articles in medical and scientific journals on the damaging effects of second-hand smoke, lead exposure, and countless other determinants of children's health and behavior. From 1999-2005 he served as the executive director of the Center for Child Health Research, a national research institute created by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Frederick M. "Skip" Burkle, Jr. is an American physician known for his work in human rights, international diplomacy and peacemaking, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response. He has been called "the single most talented and experienced post-conflict health specialist working for the United States government." His medical qualifications include pediatrics, emergency medicine, psychiatry, public health, and tropical medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Hein</span>

Dr. Karen Hein is a pediatrician and health policy expert who founded the first comprehensive HIV/AIDS program for adolescents in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's Hospital at Montefiore</span> Hospital in New York, United States

The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) is a nationally ranked pediatric acute care children's teaching hospital located in the Bronx, New York. The hospital has 193 pediatric beds and is affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The hospital is a member of the Montefiore health network and is the only children's hospital in the network. The hospital provides comprehensive pediatric specialties and subspecialties to infants, children, teens, and young adults aged 0–21 throughout the Bronx and New York state. Children's Hospital at Montefiore also sometimes treats adults that require pediatric care. While CHAM does have a pediatric emergency department, they do not have a pediatric trauma center and sends all pediatric trauma cases to the nearby Jacobi Medical Center's level II pediatric trauma center. The Children's Hospital at Montefiore is one of the largest providers of pediatric health services in New York state. The hospital is attached to Montefiore Medical Center and is affiliated with the Ronald McDonald House of New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Danielson</span> Pediatrician

Benjamin Danielson is a pediatrician and clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Throughout his time as a pediatrician, Danielson has facilitated the creation and development of diversity programs and contributed actively to governmental policy as a member of several health boards. Danielson was the medical director of the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic from 1999 to 2020, where he then resigned and spoke out about prevalent institutional racism and a resistance to change from hospital leaders. In September 2021, it was announced that Danielson would be directing a new program, Allies in Healthier Systems for Health & Abundance in Youth (AHSHAY) to help address and prevent youth incarceration.

Adele Hofmann was an American pediatrician. She was a leader in the field of adolescent medicine, co-authoring the field’s authoritative textbook and co-founding two of its leading professional organizations.

References

  1. ↑ Redlener, Irwin (2006). Americans at Risk: Why We Are Not Prepared for Megadisasters and What We Can Do Now. Knopf..
  2. 1 2 3 4 Vandewinckel, Doug (2009). "Part of the Solution". Hofstra Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19.
  3. 1 2 3 Mishkin, Budd (2008-11-25). "One On 1: Dr. Irwin Redlener Helps Heal The City's Health Care". New York 1. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29.
  4. ↑ LaBarre, Polly (2009-04-30). "Strategic Innovation: The Children's Hospital at Montefiore". Fast Company.
  5. ↑ Burden, Melissa (2010-12-01). "Project gives health care to low-income Detroit children". The Detroit News.
  6. ↑ Pear, Robert (1993-04-28). "Experts to Review Clinton Health Plan". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ "Text of letter from pediatrician Dr. Irwin Redlener". Latinamericanstudies.org. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "Pediatricians dispute views of N.Y. doctor". Latinamericanstudies.org. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  9. ↑ Cova, Antonio De La. "Justice adviser on Gonzalez case has long ties to Clinton". Latinamericanstudies.org. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  10. ↑ Sparks, John (2010-09-10). "9/10: Disaster Preparedness in the Aftermath of 9/11". Marist Poll.
  11. ↑ "National Commission on Children and Disasters". National Commission on Children and Disasters. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  12. ↑ Dewan, Shaila (2010-08-02). "Survey Finds Broad Anxiety Among Gulf Residents". The New York Times.
  13. ↑ "Columbia's Redlener Appointed to Federal Gulf Oil Spill Commission". Association of Schools of Public Health. 2010-10-15.
  14. ↑ "Governor Cuomo Announces Commissions to Improve New York State's Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities, And Strengthen The State's Infrastructure to Withstand Natural Disasters". Governor.ny.gov. 2012-11-15. Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  15. ↑ "Mayor de Blasio Appoints Joseph Esposito as Commissioner, Office of Emergency Management". 1.nyc.gov. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  16. 1 2 Drew, Ian (May 4, 2020). "How Cher Is Combatting Coronavirus: Exclusive". Billboard . Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  17. ↑ Hattenstone, Simon (December 14, 2020). "Cher at 74: 'There are 20-year-old girls who can't do what I do'". The Guardian . Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Cher and National Center for Disaster Preparedness Team Up to Donate Mobile Vaccine Clinic". State of the Planet. Columbia Climate School. June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Director's Corner | Pandemic Resource Response Initiative". National Center for Disaster Preparedness | NCDP. 16 December 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.