SMS supports the work of the Health Care Transition Coalition whose goal is to promote public/private partnerships to move forward a system of care for successful Health Care Transition for Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (YSHCN) by educating youth, families and professionals and by providing information and supports to health care practices and families.
What is Health Care Transition?
Health Care Transition is a planning process for moving youth from child centered to adult oriented health care. Transition is a process that helps youth with special health care needs identify the knowledge and skills they need to manage their chronic health condition and educates and supports them to become as independent as possible. Transition is a period of preparation for youth before assuming adult health care responsibilities and before transfer to adult providers. Transition promotes a seamless continuity of care.
From the Consensus Statement-2002 AAP/ AAFP/ACP-ASIM
The goal of health care transition is to maximize lifelong functioning and potential through the provision of high quality, developmentally appropriate health care services that continue uninterrupted as the individual moves from adolescence to adulthood.
Current Health Care Transition Initiative
In May 2010 the Health Care Transition Coalition, the Youth Educating Adults on Healthcare (YEAH) Council and the sponsoring agencies, Special Medical Services and NH Family Voices launched a statewide education effort called the "Ticket to Adult Health Care Independence" Campaign. We developed easy to use transition education materials for youth and parents to assist pediatricians; family physicians and other health care providers.
What Youth from the YEAH Council Say about Transition
Health Care transition is the shift from the child-doctor relationship to the adult-doctor relationship and that shift requires you to PREPARE!
P lan your dreams
R eady yourself for change
E ducate yourself about your condition
P artake in your own health care
A sk your health care providers to be involved
R ealize your independence is in your hands
E ducate yourself about transition and what you need to do
Tools for Practices
- Transition Checklist and Timeline for Health Care Providers
- Transition Medical Summary/Adult Health Care Plan
- American Academy of Pediatrics Transition Summary
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