Pediatric palliative coalition wins scholarships, ramps up advocacy and workforce training

The Palliative Care Advisory Council heard updates Friday that its pediatric palliative care coalition has expanded training and advocacy efforts, awarding scholarships to eight nurses and preparing policy and workforce initiatives aimed at a February milestone.

Council member Carrie (legislative representative) said the coalition has resumed regular meetings and is working toward a plan for a center of excellence and funding approaches for hospice and pediatric palliative services. “We are now meeting Tuesdays … the goal of February coming up with our next steps in the plan that includes the center of excellence and includes opportunities of how we're gonna approach some funding issues related to hospice,” Carrie said.

The coalition — led in part by Eileen (coalition leader) and supported by partners including the Solomon Center — sponsored 10 scholarships for certification training; Carrie said eight nurses received awards. The scholarships were sponsored by the Kinnearrick Foundation and included preparatory training and test reimbursement, according to coalition comments. Council members said most awardees so far are inpatient nurses and that seven of the eight awardees are affiliated with Connecticut Children's.

Eugene, representing the Solomon Center team, described the coalition's white paper as the basis for identifying needs and said the center is helping with data collection. “We absolutely love collaborating with everybody here, and keep it coming,” Eugene said.

Council members discussed efforts to increase outpatient and community-based participation in training; one council member noted that most scholarship recipients so far are inpatient clinicians and urged expanding access to home- and community-based providers. Members said one awardee will put training into practice through a nurse-initiated advanced care-planning project funded by a foundation grant at Connecticut Children's.

Speakers reported broadening legislative support. Carrie said Sen. (last name) Arnold told coalition members that “universally, every legislator is behind this” and framed funding for the effort as a growing priority.

Council members said the coalition will use the training and the white paper to build statewide, collaborative resources and to prepare for a policy push early next year. They also said planning will include a coalition retreat focused on advocacy and policy.

The council asked members involved in the coalition to provide a high-level summary of coalition work for inclusion in the council's upcoming annual report. Members said they will continue data collection, workforce development and outreach to large health systems and hospice agencies to expand education and certification uptake.

Looking ahead, the coalition plans to track training outcomes and to continue refining legislative recommendations and funding strategies.