Center Associate Faculty Member, CHCFC and Chief Medical Officer, St. John’s Well Child and Family Center
Dr. Helen DuPlessis is a pediatrician and Senior Advisor in the Center. Research and policy interests focus on quality improvement, health system reform, and ensuring optimal early childhood development through assessment and intervention.
Dr. DuPlessis previously was Chief Medical Officer of L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest not-for-profit Medicaid managed care plan in the country, where she built the foundational quality improvement (QI) program, created new insurance products for children, and chaired state QI groups providing guidance to the initial state QI approach. Dr. DuPlessis has served as Community Pediatrics and Children’s Medical Services administrator in the Los Angeles County Department of Health, and directed Student Medical Services for the Los Angeles Unified School District where she spearheaded education programs for pediatric professionals, developed an innovative school-based health insurance outreach and enrollment program, and developed the first set of tools and processes for mapping student health needs and resources in the LAUSD.
Dr. DuPlessis has served on numerous committees and boards including nonprofit school health partnerships (L.A. Trust for Children’s Health), professional organizations (AAP, NASBHC, APHA), QI organizations (NCQA, NICHQ, Center for Healthcare Strategies), the National Children’s Study National Advisory Committees, and health programs (CalKids, LA Urban League Healthy Neighborhood program). She practices pediatrics, supervises and teaches at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
UCLA CENTER FOR HEALTHIER CHILDREN,
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