Strengthening Health Care Transition for Georgia Youth/Young Adults through Positive Youth Development and Engagement
Abstract
Children’s Medical Services (CMS), Georgia’s Title V Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, is committed to improving the successful transition from pediatric to adult care for youth and young adults, both with and without special health care needs. The goals of transition are to improve the ability of youth and young adults to manage their own health care and effectively use health services. To achieve this goal requires an organized transition process to support youth in acquiring independent health care skills, preparing for an adult model of care, and transferring to new providers without disruption in care.
Recognizing that engaged youth are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors and achieve transition goals, the CMS program utilized the Positive Youth Development framework to help launch its inaugural Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The YAC aims to provide opportunities to engage, develop and celebrate youth leaders as active partners and decision makers in health care transition programming. YAC members will voice their opinions, share their experiences and contribute meaningfully to building youth-centered programming and policies for health care transition.
The CMS program’s youth engagement efforts began with focus groups in 2021, progressed to a seven-week leadership opportunity in 2023 and then the development of the YAC in 2024. Since 2021, CMS had the opportunity to test different youth engagement strategies, build key partnerships with youth-serving and youth-led organizations, and foster leadership support. Key steps in developing the CMS YAC included securing funding, receiving technical assistance from Rhode Island’s YAC program, establishing a structured recruitment, application and selection process, collaborating with engaging speakers, selecting a creative project for YAC members to support and having youth voice incorporated in all YAC operations. The CMS YAC currently has 18 members who will become youth leaders and advocates in the health care transition space.
Keywords
Youth Engagement, Youth Advisory Council, Health Care Transportation
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Strengthening Health Care Transition for Georgia Youth/Young Adults through Positive Youth Development and Engagement
Children’s Medical Services (CMS), Georgia’s Title V Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, is committed to improving the successful transition from pediatric to adult care for youth and young adults, both with and without special health care needs. The goals of transition are to improve the ability of youth and young adults to manage their own health care and effectively use health services. To achieve this goal requires an organized transition process to support youth in acquiring independent health care skills, preparing for an adult model of care, and transferring to new providers without disruption in care.
Recognizing that engaged youth are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors and achieve transition goals, the CMS program utilized the Positive Youth Development framework to help launch its inaugural Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The YAC aims to provide opportunities to engage, develop and celebrate youth leaders as active partners and decision makers in health care transition programming. YAC members will voice their opinions, share their experiences and contribute meaningfully to building youth-centered programming and policies for health care transition.
The CMS program’s youth engagement efforts began with focus groups in 2021, progressed to a seven-week leadership opportunity in 2023 and then the development of the YAC in 2024. Since 2021, CMS had the opportunity to test different youth engagement strategies, build key partnerships with youth-serving and youth-led organizations, and foster leadership support. Key steps in developing the CMS YAC included securing funding, receiving technical assistance from Rhode Island’s YAC program, establishing a structured recruitment, application and selection process, collaborating with engaging speakers, selecting a creative project for YAC members to support and having youth voice incorporated in all YAC operations. The CMS YAC currently has 18 members who will become youth leaders and advocates in the health care transition space.
