Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital

Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital
in the community

In addition to free and uncompensated care, the Children's Hospital provides the following services in support of community and patient needs.

Health care

Nurturing Families Home Visiting Program
This program provides outreach workers who make home-based visits to vulnerable, first-time parents needing assistance in the challenges of parenthood for the first five years of their child's life. Comprehensive services such as individual and parenting needs, child development and wellness, family needs and linkage with appropriate community resources are provided. Families must receive their healthcare at Yale-New Haven Hospital's Women's Center and live in the Greater New Haven area. Prenatal parents or parents who have just delivered their first baby are screened for eligibility. For more information on this free and voluntary program, contact Felicia Shaw, BS, FAW, (203) 688-8684.

Nurturing Parent Group
This weekly parenting support group for parents and children (who receive their care at Yale-New Haven Hospital) covering a wide range of related topics and activities: child development and parental expectations, discipline alternatives, family communications, and how to nurture an emotionally supportive and positive parent-child relationship. A therapeutic, educational children's group for the children of the participants is held at the same time. A light meal and transportation are provided. This is a free and voluntary program that meets for 24-weeks on Thursday evenings from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. For more information, call René Visser, LCSW, (203) 688-8474.

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Yale-New Haven Hospital staff volunteer their time to provide clinical care to hundreds of patient-campers every summer at this camp located in Ashford, Conn. The camp, founded by Paul Newman, is a nonprofit residential camp for children with cancer or life-threatening blood disorders. Children 7- to 15-years-old attend free of charge. Programs are also provided for campers year-round, as well as for other seriously ill children, siblings, health care professionals, parents and teachers. For more information, call (860) 429-3444.

Yale-New Haven Lead Program and Regional Treatment Center
This comprehensive center provides medical care, psychological and social services and educates lead-poisoned children and their families. The Lead Resource Center is the central location for services that extend beyond medical treatment. The center contains a resource library, children's library and a clothing closet where families can select new and gently used clothing. For more information, call (203) 764-9106.

School-based Health Centers
Medical visits are important for growing children and teenagers, but work schedules and family pressures make it difficult to get kids to a doctor's appointment. Yale-New Haven Hospital serves students in its eight school-based health centers. Registered nurses provide care at the centers, which are located at:

• Hill Regional Career High School (New Haven)
• Hillhouse High School (New Haven)
• Riverside Academy High School (New Haven)
• Sheridan Communications & Technology School (New Haven)
• Vincent E. Mauro School (New Haven)
• Branford High School (Branford)
• Walsh Intermediate School (Branford)
• Hamden High School (Hamden)

Support Groups
Pediatric patients and their families are supported by a variety of groups and organizations. In addition to support groups facilitated by hospital social work staff, various interested individuals and organizations also provide support services.

Sibshops
"We're Special Too," a program for siblings, was created in 1995 by the Friends of the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital to meet the needs of the brothers and sisters of children with chronic or terminal illness or special health care needs. The program offers siblings 5- to 15-years-old monthly Sibshops based on the model created by Donald J. Meyer, director of the Sibling Support Project at the University of Washington. These workshops combine informal discussion with interactive educational activities in a fun-filled environment that is just for siblings. The workshops are led by a team of specially trained volunteer facilitators and health care providers. For more information, call (203) 688-2334.

Women's, Infants and Children Program (WIC)
YNHH operates the largest WIC site in New Haven, serving 4,000 women and their children through this federal program. Beyond food vouchers, the WIC staff reaches out into the community to educate and counsel women and children at nutritional risk. For more information, call the WIC office, (203) 688-5150.

Career development

Minority Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship Program
Five four-year scholarships ($1,500 per year) are awarded to minority students pursuing degrees in nursing or allied health professions. For more information, contact: Ann LaCamera, (203) 688-2414, or Patricia Worthy, (203) 688-2167

School-to-Career Internship Program
YNHH provides internships for high school juniors and seniors attending Wilbur Cross, Hillhouse, Metropolitan and Career Regional high schools. The program consists of a 16-week session in the spring semester followed by a 6-week summer session. For more information, contact Patricia Worthy, YNHH Employee Relations, (203) 688-5226.

Hill Regional Career High School Partnership
Through a unique partnership with this New Haven high school, Yale-New Haven gives students the opportunity to explore medical and other hospital careers, as well as obtain certification as a nurse assistant. For more information, contact Carla Giles, Community Health Department, (203) 688-7092.

John C. Daniels School Partnership
YNHH recently launched a partnership with John C. Daniels School with the delivery of over 24,000 school supplies in recognition of United Way's day of Caring. The partnership consists of a classroom reading program where YNHH employees read to JCD students and a Lunch Buddy program where staff mentors students during lunch time. Other programs that reinforce classroom curricula will be offered throughout the academic year.

Washington Elementary School Partnership
This partnership provides students with enhanced academic experiences that demonstrate the relevance of classroom curriculum to skills needed in the workplace and expose them to careers in health care. For more information, contact Dee Melio, YNHH Community and Government Relations, (203) 688-2503.

Advocacy and support

Friends of the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital
Established to address a variety of health-related issues affecting the well-being of children, the Friends is a group of community-minded citizens who have joined together to bring attention to and pursue solutions for the health and safety needs of children through advocacy, outreach, education and clinical care. One arm of the group's work is Child Health Advocacy People (CHAP). CHAP identifies health and safety concerns related to children, pursues measures for preventing children's health problems, establishes public policy regarding children's health issues and sponsors educational presentations as a means for improving the health and safety of children.

Books for Babies (BFB)
Provides all new mothers and babies with a new book and an information packet about early reading readiness and literacy to take home following the birth of the new baby. For more information, contact, Erin Spaulding, (203) 688-2336

Reach Out and Read (ROR)
Supported by the Friends of Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, Reach Out and Read provides physicians with new books to give to parents of infants who come to Yale-New Haven Hospital for their well baby check-ups.

Return to Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital home page

Last revised: June 7, 2006 (dh)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.