October 1 , 2007 Press Release

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Former New Hampshire LEND Trainee appointed as state’s CSHCN Director

DURHAM, N.H. – Former New Hampshire LEND trainee Elizabeth Collins, RN-BC, MS, has been appointed director of special medical services for children with special health care needs (NH's Title V program) by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.  Collins participated in the NH-LEND Program at the University of New Hampshire during the 2004-2005 academic year and received her master's degree from UNH in nursing leadership, with a focus on health planning and advocacy for special populations.  Collins brings more than 15 years of experience as a New Hampshire state employee to the position.

Collins has experience working with both adults and children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Prior to her appointment, she worked as a public health nurse coordinator serving as the clinical coordinator for the Concord, Neuromotor Clinic, providing care coordination for families with CSHCN.  She also has experience working with adults with dual diagnoses, including mental illness and developmental or neurological disabilities.

During her NH-LEND experience, Collins distinguished herself in the areas of research and public policy issues affecting CSHCN.  She investigated issues related to pain management for CSHCN and completed a meta-analysis of the available literature, which has served as a model for future trainees.  In the public policy arena, with staff from Senator Judd Gregg's office (NH-R), Collins took the lead in advocating for community-based supports and services for individuals with disabilities. She completed an exemplary analysis of public policies and professional guidelines regarding newborn screening protocols, including their impact on practices in New Hampshire at the time.

For her nursing capstone project, Collins reported on “The Impact of Insurance Status on Health Care Access for New Hampshire Youth with Special Health Care Needs.” 

Reflecting on the impact of her experiences with the NH-LEND program, Collins noted that as a nurse, she had entered the program with a holistic perspective on working with individuals. “The NH-LEND program provided an opportunity to actualize this perspective for CSHCN.  Listening to families' stories, understanding what services they were receiving and what they needed, and appreciating that families are the true champions for their children were critical [aspects],” said Collins

“My job is to make sure the services that families need are available to them, not fitting families into the existing services,” she added.  She emphasized the importance of a thorough understanding of policy and politics for anyone working in the healthcare arena because “the services available are intertwined with the policies passed by the governing bodies.”

Collins reflected that being a LEND trainee required her to “set aside some of my preconceptions and sit back and listen.  To fully participate, I needed to realize that it was not about my past experiences, but about incorporating what I learned and heard into my own body of knowledge. Also, being a LEND trainee gave me the opportunity to do things that I might not have otherwise done on my own.  I learned I could get into a wider arena, speak cogently and meaningfully.”

Collins advises that current and future trainees should “ensure that your body of work within the LEND program be based on your passions.  Take advantage of all of the opportunities, especially those to explore and understand policy and politics.  As leaders, we all need this understanding to influence the direction of the field.  Many leaders state that they are uncomfortable with the title of 'leader' and yet we all of the ability to make a difference.  That's what leadership is!”

The New Hampshire MCH-LEND Program provides interdisciplinary leadership training to those who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities or special health care needs and their families. Interdisciplinary clinical training is provided within the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth , community settings, and the Seacoast Child Development Clinic on the University of New Hampshire campus. For more information about the NH-LEND program, visit www.mchlend.unh.edu or contact the interdisciplinary training director Rae Sonnenmeier, Ph.D. at 603.862.0561.

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