Gaining culturally appropriate knowledge can help provide more effective healthcare

Mary E. Jones, MD, MPH, is the child advocacy program director and an essential part of the Loyola University Health System pediatric team. In addition to her extensive knowledge in the medical care of children, her expertise in understanding the signs of child maltreatment help Loyola provide complete care to some of the most at-risk patients.

"At its core, advocacy is speaking on behalf of children to protect their rights, health and well-being. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including advocating for patients and children in our surrounding community. It's working to change public policies and laws to protect children," said Jones. "As pediatricians we are natural advocates and can play a meaningful role in shaping the future for our children."

For most of her career Jones has been helping children find the help and care they need. As a member of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Death Review Team she has even advocated for children who lost their lives due to abuse.

Before joining Loyola, Jones was responsible for health assessments and coordinating medical service for children under the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services through the Aunt Martha's Youth Services and Healthcare Center.

While at Advocate Christ Medical Center Children's Hospital, she taught medical students how to become advocates for children and developed a program that assessed and followed children who had been or were at high risk of being abused and neglected. She also was a pediatric hosptialist at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Kenosha where she managed care of pediatric and adolescent patients.

She is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and a memmber of the Academy's Child Abuse and Neglect, and Community Pediatrics Sections.
Jones earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency program at Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn. In addition, she received her master's in public health with a special interest in health behaviors and culturally effective healthcare from University of Illinois at Chicago.

"A person's cultural beliefs can play a significant role in health behaviors. By gaining culturally appropriate knowledge, demonstrating culturally sensitive attitudes and developing cross-cultural skills we can provide more effective healthcare for the diverse families in our community," said Jones.