Nisonger Center's LEND Outreach Initiates Community Clinic Training
April 4, 2013
The LEND program at The Ohio State University's Nisonger Center (OH UCEDD/LEND) has developed an outreach healthcare training component with two goals: to improve the health of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities in rural areas of Ohio and to teach interdisciplinary trainees about rural health care issues.
In August 2012 Dr. Sherri Thomas, a recent LEND graduate in developmental behavioral pediatrics, opened an interdisciplinary developmental clinic at Wood County Hospital in Ohio. Dr. Thomas was recruited as a LEND faculty member to mentor LEND trainees in rural health care issues using her neurodevelopmental clinic as a clinical training site.
Serving more than 16 counties regionally, Dr. Thomas's clinic provides much-needed services to numerous families with neurodevelopmental disabilities in northwest Ohio. Trainees from the Nisonger Center can participate in clinical and/or leadership projects with Dr. Thomas to learn about a variety of issues related to rural healthcare delivery systems for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Although not typically considered a rural state, just less than one quarter of Ohio's population (2.6 million) lives in rural areas (2010 Census). Participation in rural community-based health systems assists trainees in learning about varied systems of services and their relationship to the specialty-hospital-based services offered in metropolitan areas. Programs that address accessing healthcare, barriers to evidence-based treatments, and the designing of innovative solutions to healthcare problems are some of the activities and projects that have developed from these community experiences.
Dr. Thomas also recruited a parent trainee from northwest Ohio to participate in LEND training. Stephanie Rine participates in developmental clinics with Dr. Thomas's team providing parent advocacy and follow-up to families. Stephanie participates in LEND classes and seminars in Columbus via Skype. Dr. Thomas said, "Stephanie is a wonderful addition to our team. She is very helpful to parents by assisting with discharge and offering information about resources in their areas." In collaboration with LEND Family Faculty Patricia Cloppert, Stephanie is developing a regional community resource guide to assist parents and professionals in navigating services and supports.
By incorporating digital, educational, and clinical innovations into the LEND program, we hope to provide improved access to evidence-based services to underserved children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families in Ohio, and to teach our trainees how to think creatively about healthcare barriers and future solutions.