FRANCISCAN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TOUR

The Community Resource Center recently arranged a tour of the Franciscan Children’s Hospital for our Pediatrics social workers.

Pulmonary and Medical Rehabilitation

The primary function of the facility is to offer inpatient medical rehabilitation to children. A single parent is allowed to stay overnight in the child’s room in most areas of the facility. Each unit has a parent room where one may stay if the facility is unable to accommodate him/her in the child’s room or for an additional parent may stay. Highlights of the tour included a therapy pool the floor of which raises and lowers to facilitate entry for those with mobility issues or using a wheelchair and to accommodate children of different heights. The floor also doubles as an adjustable-speed treadmill. They also boast a state-of-the-art gait lab that uses video cameras, computer-assisted infra-red imaging and a pressure-sensitive floor to enable staff to analyze gait disturbances and plan appropriate interventions.

PediCare Medical Day Care Center

Franciscan Children’s also is home to the only specialized, medical, child day care center in Massachusetts. The program offers a traditional day care environment, affording children with complex medical needs an opportunity to interact with their peers, while having all of their individual educational, development, medical and rehabilitative needs provided for. The center does accept child-care subsidies and MassHealth.

Additional Programs

Thought not part of the tour, Franciscan Children’s has additional pertinent programs.

Franciscan Children’s partners with McLean in operating an inpatient behavioral health program known as the McLean-Franciscan Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program.

In partnership with McLean Hospital, the Kennedy Hope Academy is a 17-bed residential school utilizing applied behavior analysis (ABA) and positive behavioral supports (PBS) to provide treatment to students, ages 5-21, who have challenging behaviors, autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, neurological disorders and/or concurrent psychiatric illnesses.  Kennedy Hope Academy offers a year-round specialized education program as well as psychopharmacology, speech and occupational therapy, and community-based recreation opportunities. The school is located within Franciscan Hospital for Children and features onsite outdoor playgrounds, a student computer lab, specially designed sensory rooms and access to specialized medical and dental services. Program closed as of August 2014.

Kennedy Day School offers a unique combination of integrated special education, therapeutic and health services to students, ages 3 to 22, with multiple, intensive special needs and challenges. Individual student needs in areas such as communication, mobility, motor control, vision, hearing, cognition and/or fragile health are addressed by each student’s interdisciplinary team.

For more information: www.franciscanhospital.org

 

07/08, Rev 4/19