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2008 Conference on Transition

On January 18, 2008, the Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs hosted the 2008 Transition Conference: Building an Interdisciplinary Research Agenda to Enhance Quality of Life and Transition to Adulthood for Youth with Chronic Health Conditions at the McNamara Alumni Center on the Twin Cities campus.

Nationally known experts in transition set the stage for the development of the transition research agenda. Judith Palfrey, MD, a T. Berry Brazelton Professor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, provided an excellent overview of transition issues facing youth with chronic health conditions with implications for research. (Download the PowerPoint presentation here.)

Richard Roberts, PhD, Professor of Psychology from Utah State University, focused on using participatory action reasearch methods to develop effective community-based strategies for improving transition services for youth with chronic conditions through systems change. (Download the PowerPoint presentation here.)

This interdisciplinary conference was sponsored by the Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and the Minnesota Children with Special Health Needs (MCSHN) program at the Minnesota Department of Health. Conference co-sponsors included the Institute on Community Integration in the College of Education and Human Development, the Maternal and Child Health program in the School of Public Health, and the Division of Pediatrics in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota.

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With communication and information moving at such a fast pace, here is a way to keep connected with other healthcare providers interested in Children with Special Health Care Needs. Join the 150+ members of the CSHCN listserv. This is a private list (not open to the general public) for those interested in Special Needs Kids. All healthcare providers can join. If you are interested, send your e-mail address to CSHCN@umn.edu. Use this forum to discuss critical practice issues, research, share resources and ideas, let others know about upcoming conferences, networking, and Q and A's. We hope you will join us on-line