Dr. Justin Kopa, the newly appointed Medical Director at Children's Aid, has dedicated more than two decades to a medical career marked by compassion, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to underserved communities. His journey to this role highlights his unwavering dedication to social service and healthcare.
A Journey of Service
Dr. Kopa’s path to medicine was unconventional. After completing his undergraduate degree, he spent five years in various social service roles in urban settings, which profoundly influenced his career trajectory. One of the most impactful experiences during this period was his time in Camden, New Jersey, where he worked with a nun counseling families of murder victims. Camden, then the most violent city in the United States, presented stark challenges and deepened Dr. Kopa’s resolve to serve under-resourced communities.
While in Camden, Dr. Kopa helped design and teach computer courses to recent immigrants, integrating technology education with social service. This period highlighted the pressing needs of the communities he served and ignited his desire to offer more substantial help.
Pursuing Medical Education
Realizing that compassionate listening was not enough, Dr. Kopa decided to pursue medical school to equip himself with the skills necessary to provide concrete assistance. He attended the University of Washington, renowned for its primary care programs. His clinical rotations took him to various rural settings, including Alaska, Idaho, and eastern Washington, where he gained hands-on experience and a profound appreciation for primary care.
During a rotation in Anchorage, Alaska, Dr. Kopa discovered his passion for pediatrics. The complexity of working with children and the challenge of interpreting their needs through a triangle of communication involving the child, parents, and clinician captivated him. He was particularly drawn to the preventative aspects of pediatrics, aiming to set children on a healthy path early in life.
Returning East
Dr. Kopa returned to the East Coast to join the social pediatrics program at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. This program aligned perfectly with his interest in community health and addressing the broader social determinants of health. During his residency, he encountered the mobile medical program at the Bronx Health Collective, which used mobile medical units to provide primary care to families living in shelters in New York City. This experience solidified Dr. Kopa’s dedication to working with under-resourced populations, including teenagers and unaccompanied immigrant children.
Before joining Children’s Aid, Dr. Kopa spent eight years working as a full-time pediatrician and leader at the Bronx Health Collective, including their mobile medical program. He worked with families and youth living in shelters and at the Bronx Health Collective’s Terra Firma clinic, a medical-legal-mental health partnership focused on young people migrating to the U.S. without adults and young families seeking asylum in New York City. In addition to his clinical work, he developed and oversaw projects aimed at improving primary care delivery, such as increasing the rate of well-child visits for children under two, improving the timely completion of school asthma forms, and researching barriers to young men utilizing healthcare.
A Holistic Approach
Dr. Kopa was drawn to Children’s Aid because of its holistic approach to child welfare. Unlike traditional health systems, Children’s Aid integrates health services with education, nutrition, and community support, addressing the comprehensive needs of children and their families. The organization’s commitment to tackling the social determinants of health resonated with Dr. Kopa’s vision of integrated care.
“When I walked into Millbank and saw the clinic attached to a community center with a gym, I knew this was how you make real changes,” Dr. Kopa said. This integrated model, which combines healthcare with broader social services, embodies Dr. Kopa’s belief in comprehensive, community-based care.
Looking Forward
As Dr. Kopa leads the clinical team at Children’s Aid, his goal is to continue building a model that others can replicate, demonstrating the profound impact of integrating health with comprehensive social services. His journey to date has been one of passion, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of equity in healthcare, marked by a deep understanding of the communities he serves. This combination positions Dr. Kopa as a pivotal figure in advancing the Children’s Aid mission of ensuring every child can thrive.
