Implementing the Minds Matter Model Beyond the CHOP Community
The translation of research conducted by the Minds Matter Concussion Program into standardized clinical practice across care settings at CHOP and local school-based partners has led to the development of evidence-based practices that improve health outcomes for children diagnosed with concussion. The CIRP website describes and links to more than 100 research publications describing Minds Matter research findings and recommendations that form the basis of this knowledge.
Now, we are collaborating with key implementation partners in Michigan and Texas to leverage the care models we have developed and refined here at CHOP to support our partners in elevating their own regional clinical care and services for youth with concussion.
These efforts build on existing research, education, and training— all developed within the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia community in the greater Delaware Valley. In part, this work seeks to better understand and address disparities in care across clinical and community settings.
With a generous gift from the Toyota Way Forward Fund, the Minds Matter team has multiple projects underway with partners in MI and TX that are described below. Ultimately, we hope to create implementation frameworks that can bring state-of-the science care to children in diverse communities around the world.
- The Minds Matter Clinical Care Model
Minds Matter has disseminated and integrated its clinical care model throughout the CHOP pediatric health care system, including specialty care practices, acute care (including emergency department and urgent care settings), and primary care settings. This includes a systematic approach that involves professional medical education that is aligned with EHR-based clinical support tools and patient education resources. Our objective is to adapt the Minds Matter Clinical Care Model for implementation within diverse healthcare systems beyond the CHOP community, spanning primary care and acute care settings.
Project Aims:
- Conduct needs assessments among implementation partners
- Provide tailored training modules for professionals from diverse disciplines
- Adapt CHOP patient educational materials for local use to support patients and those who support them across settings (school, sports, family, community, etc.).
- The Minds Matter Concussion-Aware School Model
Minds Matter has previously developed comprehensive resources and best practices in pediatric concussion management for school staff members who interact with students with concussion-- from the time of their injury through their recovery. Our objective in this project is to create a Concussion-Aware School Model that allows for school personnel to be aligned on goals for academic accommodations as part of the student’s recovery, making their re-integration into the school environment as smooth as possible. Our objective is to use the current school staff education resources developed for Philadelphia area schools as the foundation to establish a Concussion-Aware School Model for school districts across the country:
Project Aims:
- Implement this concussion-aware school model in schools in Michigan and Texas, with support from the Toyota Way Forward fund
- Through this model, nurses, educators, athletic trainers, coaches, and administrators will adopt established practices and protocols to best support students as they recover and return to learning and extracurricular activities after a concussion
