Gillette Children's is excited to announce the launch of the Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Health Care Transition Learning Collaborative (HCT LC), a groundbreaking project aimed at advancing pediatric to adult health care transition for children and youth with special health needs. Supported by a grant of $160,000 from the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) Child and Family Health Division, this 14-month initiative will kick off in June 2023.
Led by Tori Bahr, MD, and Rhonda Cady, Ph.D., in partnership with the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health/Got Transition, the HCT LC strives to achieve a seamless, equitable and inclusive transition process that delivers value across all facets of the Quadruple Aim.
The HCT LC will leverage the innovative Project ECHO learning model, a virtual "all teach, all learn" approach, to facilitate monthly learning opportunities and multidisciplinary discussions. These virtual sessions will consist of expert lectures on various transition-related topics followed by interactive case studies, where audience members and faculty engage in collaborative problem-solving. With an anticipated 8-10 sessions, starting in late September 2023 and each lasting approximately one hour, participants will gain valuable insights on enhancing their clinics, hospitals, programs and overall state practices related to health care transition.
The project will culminate in a hybrid healthcare transition educational conference scheduled for June 2024. This conference will bring together leading experts, stakeholders, and healthcare professionals to share best practices, exchange knowledge and drive further advancements in the field of health care transition for children and youth with special health needs.
The overall content and direction of the HCT LC are guided by a Steering Work Group, consisting of esteemed individuals with a wealth of clinical and lived experience and expertise.
"The Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Health Care Transition Learning Collaborative is a critical step toward ensuring that our healthcare system meets the unique needs of children and youth with special health needs,” Bahr said. “This collaborative effort will drive positive change, improve outcomes, and create a more inclusive and equitable healthcare transition process."