Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare Awards Grant to Texas Parent to Parent
February 14 2008 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
- Medical Education Program Assists Children With Chronic Illness;
Disabilities - ST. LOUIS, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centene
Foundation for Quality Healthcare announced today that it has
awarded a $30,000 grant to Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P) to
support its Medical Education Program (MEP). Texas Parent to Parent
is a statewide non-profit organization based in Austin, TX, that is
dedicated to empowering families of children with disabilities,
chronic illness or other health care needs to be strong advocates
through parent to parent support, resource referral and education,
and by educating professionals about the unique needs of these
children. Advances in medicine and technology mean that a growing
population of children with disabilities, chronic illness, or other
special health care needs are living at home and actively
participating in their communities. The MEP works with pediatric
and family practice residents, as well as other medical
professionals, to widen their perspective of the needs of these
children from hospital and office to the home and community. Family
visits, conducted in the home of a family, enhance the physician's
understanding of the impact of a child with a chronic illness or
developmental disability on family dynamics, thereby building
mutual respect and enhancing parent-professional collaboration.
"Many parents with children that have chronic illness or
developmental disabilities can become overwhelmed with the medical
decisions they are asked to make," said Kathy Bradley-Wells,
president, Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare. "The Medical
Education Program offered by Texas Parent to Parent strengthens the
level of understanding so needed between parents and physicians. An
enhanced relationship built on mutual trust increases the
opportunities for parents to make well-informed decisions and to
seek help if they have issue with their child's care." "Our Medical
Education Program provides pediatric and family practice residents
and other medical professionals a comprehensive understanding of
life with a child with chronic illness or disabilities," said Laura
J. Warren, executive director, Texas Parent to Parent. "The
residents spend time with our families and gain first-hand
experience with issues parents face in caring for their child. The
family visit enhances the residents' understanding of the global
impact of a child with special health care needs on the family and
their community. Through the one-on-one time spent together, the
residents and parent volunteers learn the benefits of a partnership
between the physician and the family in caring for our children."
About Texas Parent to Parent A committed group of parents and
professionals, drawing on their experiences in child and family
service organizations and their knowledge of parent-to-parent
support, formed Texas Parent to Parent in 2001. Texas Parent to
Parent empowers families of children with disabilities, chronic
illness or other health care needs to be strong advocates through
parent to parent support, resource referral and education, and by
educating professionals about the unique needs of these children.
The talents and expertise of families are used in virtually every
aspect of Texas Parent to Parent, from staff and board members to
parent peer support and speakers at trainings and conferences. For
additional information, please visit http://www.txp2p.org/. About
The Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare The Centene
Foundation for Quality Healthcare is a non-profit private
foundation dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare in the
United States. The Foundation serves as a resource to identify and
support innovative approaches to improving and increasing the
quality of and access to healthcare for low-income individuals and
families. This is accomplished through an inspired philanthropic
giving plan that seeks to promote efforts and activities that
identify and address core causes of unequal access and treatment in
healthcare. For additional information, please visit
http://www.centenefoundation.org/. DATASOURCE: Centene Foundation
for Quality Healthcare CONTACT: Sandy McBride, Director, Corporate
Communications, or Mary Deverman, Manager, Community Relations,
both of Centene Foundation for Quality, +1-314-725-4477 Web site:
http://www.txp2p.org/ http://www.centenefoundation.org/
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