Grant Helps Provide Peace of Mind for Pediatric Patients and Families

A generous $30,000 grant from the Jim Moran Foundation in 2016 allowed us to greatly improve the quality of life for youth and families in Florida through the Brooks School Re-entry Program (BSRP).

The BSRP maximizes a child’s successful transition back to school following a disabling illness or injury. A re-entry coordinator serves as the liaison between Brooks, the school system, various agencies and families to minimize lost academic learning and facilitate the transition back to school. The coordinator will often go back to school with the child to provide education for classmates and to help school professionals and families understand the challenges and needs of a student transitioning back into school and their community.

Once a child receives aid through the BSRP, the service is ongoing and may be impactful throughout the child’s entire formal education. BSRP continually works to provide parents with relevant information specific to their child’s educational and unique medical needs. The re-entry coordinator monitors the ongoing academic, social and emotional progress of the child as needed. Interventions can range from a question from a parent by phone once a year, to a new teacher or school requesting a conference to better meet the educational needs of the child.

In collaboration with the Jim Moran Foundation, the BSRP was able to assist 155 children and their families last year, serving 52 school districts throughout the East Coast, including 3 countries outside of the United States. Many of those patients entered the BSRP upon their admission to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital. However, as part of our effort to provide community outreach, BSRP accepts a limited number of community referrals from physicians and outside agencies on individuals not receiving services through Brooks.

The mission of The Jim Moran Foundation is to improve the quality of life for the youth and families of Florida through the support of innovative programs and opportunities that meet the ever-changing needs of the community. We are honored that they chose to support our BSRP and take pride in making this resource available to our patients and their families throughout their academic journey.