The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40837

Cecily L. Betz, PhD, RN, FAAN, Department of Nursing/ University Center on Disability at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 1540 E. Alcazar St., CHP 222, Los Angeles, CA 90033, 323-442-1868, cbetz@usc.edu

Adolescents with special health care needs face unique challenges as they transition to adulthood unlike other populations of adolescents. These transition issues include transfer from pediatric to adult health care settings, from school to work, and from family home to community living. Innovative approaches that integrate representatives from both child and adult service systems are needed to address their comprehensive needs for services. Examples of interagency service and programmatic models that included pediatric and adult health care service providers implemented as part of a demonstration project funded by the Maternal Child Health, Division of Children with Special Health Needs are presented. One of the demonstration models was an interagency community coalition formed with representatives from education, rehabilitation, social service, job development, consumer advocacy, disabilities and health care to address the system and service needs of adolescents with special health care needs. Another demonstration model was a transition clinic staffed by an advanced practice nurse who consulted with an interagency team of child and adult service professionals. The third demonstration model was based upon the consultation framework, wherein health care professionals attended interagency team meetings to elicit input on the transition needs of youth they served. The process, structure and issues addressed by these service models will be described as a means of supporting replication and dissemination of transition interagency models in other public health settings.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the rationale for creating interagency community-based partnerships for enhancing the provision of services for adolescents with special heatlh care needs
• Identify the role of public health nurses in participating in transition interagency partnerships to facilitate improved outcomes for adolescents with special health care needs
• Describe the function of transition interagency partnerships in facilitating improved outcomes for adolescents with special health care needs

Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Adolescent Health

Related Web page: www.cahrtw.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.