Academy for Educational Development

Health impacts all aspects of life. Success in the classroom, within the community, and on the job requires that youth need an understanding of their health and to participate in their health care decisions. The HRTW National Center's telework team of established leaders provides information and connections to health and transition expertise nationwide, from those in the know, doing the work and living it! Web-based topics include: understanding systems, access to quality care, increasing the involvement of youth with special health care needs, provider preparation plus tools and resources needed to make more informed choices! The HRTW National Center is funded through a cooperative agreement (U39MC00047) from the Integrated Services Branch, Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs (DSCSHN) in the Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services. 2002-2006 What are the projects goals -- Healthy & Ready to Work (HRTW) Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) The mission of the Center is to create change in policy, programs, and practices that will help youth with special health care needs transition to adult health care with funding, work, and independence, raising expectations and making vital changes happen for/with YSHCN. GOAL 1: Promote HRTW policy, practices, and provide technical assistance: Improve health and transition outcomes of youth and young adults with special health care needs by maximizing the impact of the HRTW grantees on policy, programs, and practices at federal, state, and local levels. GOAL 2: Change policy, build capacity and strengthen interagency collaboration and coordinated care: Improve the health and quality of life of youth and young adults by supporting policy changes, encouraging capacity building and interagency collaboration in programs at national, state, and local levels. GOAL 3: Influence systems of care and funding for YSHCN: Increase the number of youth who transition from pediatric to adult heath care with funding by influencing the practices of pediatric and adult health care providers and health insurance funding mechanisms. GOAL 4: Launch and build capacity for HRTW youth leadership: Increase the number of youth and young adults with special health care needs who participate as decision makers and partners in planning, implementing, and evaluating transition policy and promising practices on local, state and national levels.