Carper, Coons, Carney announce more than $129,000 for children’s psychological services, training

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Representative John Carney today announced a total of $129,461 in Department of Health and Human Services funding for the Nemours A.I. duPont Hospital for Children to increase access to psychological services and to provide training to psychology interns.

“Parents from all over the region come to Delaware for the highly skilled pediatric doctors, nurses and staff at Nemours A.I. duPont Hospital for Children,” Senator Carper said. “This grant will expand the hospital’s reach when it comes to pediatric psychological services, providing care to those most vulnerable.”

“The specialized psychological needs of children require medical professionals who have received specialized training,” Senator Coons said. “Nemours A.I. duPont Hospital for Children provides an extraordinary level of specialized care, and this grant will help more children get the support and services they need.”

“Delaware is blessed to have the Nemours/A.I. DuPont Hospital in our state caring for the needs of so many of our children,” Congressman Carney said.  “The expertise of A.I.’s doctors, nurses, and staff extends beyond caring for the physical needs of a child, to addressing their mental and psychological needs as well.  This grant will give these medical professionals the support they need to help more Delaware children grow up happy and healthy.”

The grant will allow Nemours A.I. duPont Hospital for Children to increase access to psychological services for vulnerable populations, including children with chronic illness and children in medically underserved communities, through training psychology interns to provide culturally competent, collaborative care to underserved children and families in integrated care settings.

The project will train 21 psychology interns over a three-year period and will build upon Nemours’ previous grant-funded activities by increasing the number of interns trained, providing new didactic curriculum, expanding existing clinical training (evidence-based practices, primary care) and providing new clinical experience in integrated care teams, and using innovative technology.