A Message from St. Mary’s
To Families of Children with Medically Fragile Conditions:
Welcome to the e-Toolkit developed especially for you. At St. Mary’s we care for approximately 4,000 children and adolescents with complex medical conditions each day, in our hospital and in their homes. We understand the daily medical, social and economic challenges of providing compassionate, quality care to our children and their families.
Due to advances in medical technology over the past 20 years, children with medically fragile conditions now live longer than ever. As a result this has created an “emerging population,” greater than ever, which is transitioning from adolescence and young adulthood to the adult world.
St. Mary’s understands the important tasks families face when their children begin to approach the age of 18, as they prepare for all of the challenges of transition from the pediatric healthcare system into the adult healthcare world.
Transition is a process, not an event. Successful transition involves developing a comprehensive plan of care. Transition impacts everything in a young adult’s life – including healthcare services, insurance coverage, supportive services, residential options, school, and community living, and insurance coverage. The information in this e-Toolkit, funded in part by a grant from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (NYSDDPC), is designed to provide families in New York with basic information and access to key resources for transition planning.
Sincerely,
Edwin Simpser, MD
Chief Medical Officer
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children
**A Directory of Internet Resources is provided in Section 11. References for all Sections are listed in Section 12.