U.S. Attorney General Cites MLP in Address to Pediatrics Providers

In a speech at the American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Conference in Washington, DC, Attorney General Eric Holder cited the work of Boston Medical Center programs MLP | Boston and Child Witness to Violence as “good examples” of important holistic treatment for children who have been exposed to violence.

Said Holder: “We have to address it holistically, not in fragments. We need to make sure that the systems our children come into contact with are talking to one another and working together. There are good examples of this interconnectedness. The Boston Medical Center brings pediatric providers together with mental health professionals and attorneys to make sure that all of a child’s interests are protected.”

The comments came as part of an address on the issue of children and violence. In his remarks, Holder discussed the psychological and emotional harm experienced by a child who witnesses violence and advocated for several methods to counter the issue. Holder implored the pediatricians to view this as an important public health issue requiring medical provider training as well as hospital and community resources.

To read the Attorney General’s full speech, please click here. To view it, click on this link.