>>Dr. Thomas W. Chapman: My name's Thomas W. Chapman.
I'm the President and CEO of the HSC Healthcare Foundation.
The mission of the HSC Foundation is to provide improved access to services,
and we define services very broadly, as well as to expand access to services for
special needs populations, and that includes populations who are affected by
disabilities, as well as severe chronic illnesses.
Over the years, we have found that the -- there are similarities between
youth transition for civilian populations and youth transition for military
populations, and so we have a center for student veterans in our headquarters
building, which focuses on -- and is run by and focuses on youth -- veteran youth
who are dealing with transition issues.
We also deal with transition issues through our partners,
over 40 partners who address those issues.
I think there is additional need for research with regards to families.
We find that families are the key to managing the transition process
and to supporting the transition process, and many families either need support and
help with respect to the education, the technical training,
as well as awareness of the knowledge and the information that's necessary to manage
youth transition.
Well, there are many ways in which the HSC Foundation is touched personally.
We serve people in the home through our specialized home care company.
We serve institutionalized children in our specialty hospital,
and we also serve over 7,000 SSI children through our care plan.
So we see children at various ages and stages in their development,
and once in a while, we'll have one that we serve in all three
and have been with us for several years from toddler-hood to teenage-hood,
and so, those are really personal experiences when we know we can affect the
family at multiple developmental stages to ensure that their child really transitions
from childhood to adulthood safely and successfully.
The mission of the HSC Foundation is to improve access to services,
and we use that broadly, because we recognize health and social services
as well as supporting services for disabled populations and their families.
Why are the topics of this conference related to the mission and goals of the
HSC Foundation?
Well, the HSC Foundation has been working on youth transition for a number of years,
and we discovered in our process that many of the challenges and obstacles that
civilian youth face are similar to those for young military children.
So we decided to come together with NICHD to develop this joint partnership and
conference.
One of the similarities is early instruction and integration of school and
health services essential for child development.
Families often have to go to multiple places to find information.
That's a similarity.
So we've matched these up over the years, and we've seen that they're almost
virtually identical.
I think so.
I think there's more research that needs to be done with families.
Particularly minority and ethnic groups have a tendency to engage late or not to
engage at all in the process of requesting and receiving services for disabled
populations.
So we'd like to do some research in that regard to find out what are the social and
cultural barriers that we can identify and perhaps address more effectively to
expand services and expand access to care for those who are in greatest need.
Do I have a personal story to tell in working with children with health care
special needs?
Well, we serve children at multiple levels.
We have a home care program, which goes right into the home
and works with families and children.
We have specialty care hospital and -- which receives toddlers and infants,
and we have a health plan which manages children from birth to -- up to age 26.
So we touch them at different stages, and oftentimes we're fortunate enough to be
able to work with the family for over 20, 25 years,
through the development of their children, and those are the most gratifying moments
when we have those opportunities to see those families grow
and to see the children grow and succeed.
Is there anything else I'd like to add to this?
Hopefully, yes, that we are able to identify additional projects and
partnerships with the Shriver Institute.
We think it's -- we're on an important pathway now towards pursuing issues that
are important to developmental populations,
people with severe chronic illnesses.
So we want to continue that effort, and we look forward to working with them.