NEWS
Student-led program supports
young people with disabilities transitioning to adulthood By Dr. Kathryn Parker olland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is helping young people with disabilities and their families navigate the complexities of adulthood under the leadership of students. The program, called OnTrack: Transition to Adulthood, showcases the leadership of students while filling a major system gap: how to navigate myriad life transitions that young people with disabilities face when shifting to adult life, within and beyond the context of healthcare. In a recent seven-week pilot that ended in February 2020, two second-year occupational therapy students co-designed and facilitated twice weekly 45-minute sessions with Holland Bloorview youth leaders to develop tools to assist in the transition process. Tools included a welcome poster, solution-focused interview questions and tip sheets. The students, under the guidance and with the support of their preceptors, then piloted the tools during six clinic days. In the pilot, five outpatient clients and their families were offered to participate based on interest and their soon-to-be-adult status. Topics covered included: navigating the adult health system, finding volunteer opportunities and navigating funding for support services. “Moving from pediatric to adult services and adult life is often described by clients and families as ‘falling off a cliff,’” says C.J. Curran, director of Holland Bloorview’s transition strategy. “OnTrack: Transition to Adulthood offers a structured environment that brings together students, clinicians, clients and families under one umbrella with the goal of creating a path that supports young people living with disabilities to have a softer landing into adulthood.” In the clinic, students gradually gained confidence and skill in
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Holland Bloorview’s student-led pilot to support young people transitioning to adulthood was brought to life by (pictured L-R): Griffin Fitzhenry and Alissia McGlashan, second year occupational therapy students from the University of Western Ontario and McMaster University; Laura Thompson and Laura Hartman, transition strategy team leads, and Darlene Hubley, student-led environment lead. leading conversations with clients and their families asking generative questions like: • How will you know our time together has been helpful? • After our conversation today, what will be the first small sign that you’re on track and making even more progress with your transition? • What accomplishments have you already achieved that we can celebrate? In one clinic session, a parent visited the students to ask about respite care resources. The students guided the parent through a step-by-step conversation about their goals and together, on a large computer screen, they searched for respite resources available in the community. By doing it this way, the parent was left with more than answers; they had a model to tackle questions on any transi-
tion-related topic they may face in the future. To paraphrase a well-known maxim: give a person the answers and they are okay for a day; teach them how to find the answers to guide them for a lifetime. The “Track” in OnTrack stands for: Teaching, Research, Assessment, Care and Knowledge, an important acknowledgement of the multi-disciplinary approach taken to support clients and their families while simultaneously fostering an environment of teaching and learning among students and their preceptors. “Although challenging, the student-led experience at Holland Bloorview gave me an opportunity to practice traditional clinical skills, as well as develop my leadership abilities,” says Griffin Fitzhenry, a second year occupational therapy student from the
University of Western Ontario and one of the student co-leads for the pilot. “We used structured, human-centered, innovative design processes to create the clinic from inception through to execution.” The student-led model was originally developed four years ago at Holland Bloorview’s Concussion Clinic. In the OnTrack: Concussion program, students studying occupational therapy, physical therapy, and kinesiology filled a major service gap by providing education on best practices in early concussion management for children and youth with concussion and their families during their fieldwork placements at Holland Bloorview. Students advanced their own learning while supporting families that were often desperate for reliable, evidence-based advice on how to help a child with concussion. The opportunity to acquire leadership skills is making Holland Bloorview an attractive destination for up-and-coming clinicians. Student placements for both the concussion and transition clinics are booked into 2020. “Every aspect of the clinic, from client appointments to new student training has been designed by or with OnTrack students, in partnership with youth, families, and staff,” says Darlene Hubley, student-led environment program lead. “With an emphasis on student leadership and critical thinking, we are addressing client needs while simultaneously instilling a client- and family-centred approach in the next generation of healthcare professionals.” To learn more about the OnTrack model, reach out to Dr. Kathryn Parker, at kparker@hollandbloorview.ca To learn more about Holland Bloorview’s transition strategy for youth, reach out to C.J. Curran at cjcurran@ H hollandbloorview.ca. ■
Dr. Kathryn Parker is the senior director of the Teaching and Learning Institute at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. 34 HOSPITAL NEWS APRIL 2020
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