UK - Psychology

Title: Pediatric Psychology Therapy Supplies PI: Tess Smith-Thomas, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Psychology Co-I: Meghan Marsac, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Acting Chief of Division of Psychology WHAS Crusade for Children – 2024 Grants Program Millions of children in the US alone have a complex medical condition that requires several medical appointments each year. In addition to the physical health consequences associated with their medical condition, frequent and ongoing medical treatments and procedures can impact children’s mental and emotional health. Within UK HealthCare, the Pediatric Psychology Division’s mission is to make children’s journey with their medical condition or injury better. We do this by partnering with medical teams to promote overall health and well-being in children with medical conditions by providing compassionate, evidenced-based interventions and mental health care. Historically, medical care for physical health and mental health have been addressed separately. Pediatric Psychology creates the bridge for more holistic / comprehensive care for the whole child. Our team works to promote all aspects of children’s health: physical, social, and mental health. The goal of the proposed grant is to obtain supplies that we will utilize to engage children in therapy and integrate into pediatric patient care to promote positive coping and reduce and prevent distress, anxiety, and trauma related to ongoing complex medical care, treatments, and procedures. Our Pediatric Psychology Division was established in July of 2023 and is a new and growing division that is currently comprised of licensed clinical psychologists and post-doctoral psychologists in training. The pediatric psychology team provides services to pediatric patients throughout UK HealthCare, including Kentucky Children’s Hospital and pediatric outpatient clinics. We currently provide services to approximately 100 children and families per year who present with challenges related to their medical care, and we anticipate that this number will continue to grow as our new division expands. Currently, we do not have dedicated funding for supplies to support therapeutic interventions that promote positive coping through children’s medical journey. Children referred to our service are often undergoing complex medical care, including burdensome treatments and / or invasive procedures. Oftentimes, these children experience significant distress or symptoms of anxiety, depression, or trauma related to their medical condition and care. Pediatric psychologists often utilize therapeutic play to engage children in evidenced based mental health interventions. Our team needs therapy manuals and games, art supplies, and coping items that help to engage children in therapy and learning strategies that promote positive coping throughout their medical journey. We share the mission of The WHAS Crusade for Children to make life better for children with physical, mental, emotional, and medical needs. The funds provided will be utilized to purchase therapy materials for children in Kentucky with a variety and emotional and medical needs. With these funds we will be able to purchase therapy and coping materials to benefit approximately 100 children per year in Kentucky presenting for medical care from various counties. Our pediatric psychology team is committed to improving the lives of children with complex medical conditions by providing evidence-based interventions for pediatric mental health needs in the context of medical care.