HEAD START®

Caring for Children with
Chronic Conditions

Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community

Table of Contents | Preface | Introduction | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3
| Continuing Professional Development | Resources

MODULE 3: Activity 2 - Developing the Individualized Health Plan

Module 3 | Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Next Steps

Purpose:

This activity helps participants increase their skill in developing an Individualized Health Plan to ensure effective care of a child with asthma.

For this activity you will need:

• Handouts W 1, 2, 3, and 4: Role Assignments (one set for each group of four)
  
  
• Handout X: Special Care Plan For A Child With Asthma–James
  (one copy for each participant)
  
  
• Handout Q: Sample Individualized Health Plan (from Module 2: Essential Principles for Care)
  
  
• Key to Activity 2: James' Individualized Health Plan–For Trainer Only
  
  
• Name tags, markers, pens
  

Trainer's Preparation Note:

Before the training, attach four copies of Handout X: Special Care Plan For A Child With Asthma–James to the back of each Handout W-4: Role Assignment–James' Doctor.

Step 1:

Explain that this activity will give participants the chance to role-play developing an Individualized Health Plan for James, a child with asthma.

Step 2:

Read aloud the following:

James, a four-year-old, has been in Head Start for six weeks and he loves it! His health and development assessments have just been completed and reviewed. The Health Coordinator is concerned about James' health since he has asthma.

The Health Coordinator calls a meeting to develop an Individualized Health Plan for James. Present at the meeting are: the Health Coordinator, James' Dad, the classroom Lead Teacher, and James' doctor. We will role play the meeting. Your assignment is to work together to complete an Individualized Health Plan for James.

Step 3:

Divide participants into groups of four. Distribute name tags and have participants in each group choose a role and write it on the name tag:

• James' Dad
  
  
• Lead Teacher in James' Classroom
  
  
• Health Coordinator
  
  
• James' Doctor
  

Step 4:

Distribute Handout Q: Sample Individualized Health Plan to each participant. Give each group a set of Handouts W 1-4: Role Assignments, and have participants take the handout that corresponds to their role.

Step 5:

Imagine that it's October, 1998. Explain that it will be the job of the Health Coordinator to facilitate the meeting to develop James' Individualized Health Plan.

Each participant has unique and important information to share about James' health. Everyone should participate just as they would in an actual meeting. Allow participants a few minutes to review their information and get into their role assignment.

Allow approximately 40-60 minutes for the groups to meet and develop James' Individualized Health Plan.

Step 6:

Call the groups back together when they have completed James' Individualized Health Plan.

Ask participants:

• What was the process of developing the Individualized Health Plan for the different roles? In particular, how did it feel to be the parent?
  
  
• What would the Individualized Health Plan be like if it was completed by the Health Coordinator alone?
  
  
• What might be the challenges in developing Individualized Health Plans in your program?  
  

Points to Consider:

• Health plans for the child must include accommodations for daily activities, medications, and emergency response.
  
  
• Parents have a great deal of information about their child. It is crucial to get detailed information from parents and involve them in developing health plans for their child.
  
  
• Health care providers have important information about the child's condition, medications, and emergency response. Parents and Head Start staff must feel comfortable asking medical providers to explain their recommendations clearly.
  
  
• Head Start must pay close attention to the confidentiality of medical information. Parents should be asked for consent to share information with caregivers who need to know in order to care for the child. Medical information should not be shared with those who do not need to know.