The Pediatric Council on Research and Education (PCORE), established in 1999, is the charitable arm of the American Academy of Pediatrics/New Jersey Chapter (AAP/NJ) that is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children in the state of New Jersey.

PCORE uses office-based interventions to help primary care providers and staff better understand and address major public health concerns, including lead screening, immunizations, postpartum depression, child abuse and neglect, psychosocial development, obesity, and asthma. Through proactive office systems change and collaboration with families and public and private partners, PCORE has demonstrated positive results in each of these areas.

PCORE’s impact has fostered expansion beyond a small number of participating practices to a broad, statewide quality of care initiative. Ultimately, PCORE seeks to develop primary care medical homes that offer “accessible, family-centered, continuous, coordinated, comprehensive, compassionate and culturally competent care,” as described by the American Academy of Pediatrics.