1972-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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19 Medical Social Work emphasis this year has been directed towards the improvement of communication between the Depart- ment of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Education in order to provide the best services possible to children with physical handicaps and other special needs. As the agency delegated by the state to recommend licenses to nursery schools, and as administrator of the Handicapped Children's Clinic, the Barnstable County Health Department is in a unique position to do this. Meetings have been held with the staff of the Cape Cod Mental Health Center, the Association for Retarded Children, local Home Health Agencies, public health nurses, local school nurses, and directors and teachers of the Cape Nursery Schools. This has been done in an effort to help plan for children already in the Public Schools and those who will be future students. It has been necessary to add an additional Social Worker to the staff this year to work with the Handicapped Children's Clinic and as a result it has been possible to make pre-clinic visits to almost all of the new patients admitted to the Clinic. The Social Work staff have served over 120 families in 1972 and as a result have become aware of the increasing need for a Family Service Agency on Cape Cod. The Social Workers have been active in many local and state planning groups and have taken continuing education courses throughout the year. The Handicapped Children's Clinic staff includes four state funded positions; a physical therapist, a medical social worker, and two secretaries. Services now include not only orthopedic con- sultation and treatment, but pediatric assessment and neurologic consultation and treatment including referrals to a Plastic Clinic. and arrangements for hospitalization and out-patient care at New England Medical Center and at Mt. Auburn Hospital. Children up to the age of 21 years are seen when referred by their family phy- sicians. 323 children are now being followed. The majority have multiple problems involving the need for periodic re-valuation, treatment, special equipment and surgical intervention based on their progress, development and age. It is now possible to provide progress reports to the family physicians and to the schools when indicated. The physical therapist also has provided much consultation to school nurses and physical education teachers