Largest Donation Ever Made to Cincinnati Children’s Will Expand Mental Health Facilities and Long-Term Care Services

Friday, October 04, 2013

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center announced today that it will receive a $20 million gift over eight years from the Convalescent Hospital for Children.  This is the single largest contribution ever made to the medical center and will be used to expand mental health facilities and long-term and respite care services.

“This extraordinary gift will make it possible for us to better meet the growing need for mental health and long-term care for kids and teens in our area,” said Michael Fisher, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children’s.  “We are extremely grateful to the Convalescent Hospital board for their support.”

“Our mission has always been focused on the care of children with complex medical and mental health issues who are often in need of support over a very long period of time,” said Pam Terp, president of the Convalescent Hospital for Children.  “We’re very proud to make this gift, which underscores our ongoing commitment to these children and their families.”

The $20 million gift will be used to:

• Expand facilities at the College Hill Campus, where Cincinnati Children’s offers mental health and behavioral services to children and teens.  This includes: 1) renovation of the existing facility to refresh the overall design and make all rooms private to accommodate one patient per room.  This facility will continue to serve acute care inpatients; and 2) construction of a new three-story unit that will accommodate all residential patients.  The buildings will be attached, but acute-care inpatients and residential-care patients will now be located in separate buildings due to their differing health-care needs.  Approximately $11 million of the $20 million gift will be dedicated to this effort.   The project is scheduled to begin by end of this year. 
• Provide long-term care and respite services currently targeted for Cincinnati Children’s Liberty Township Campus.  Approximately $9 million will be dedicated to this effort.  Details regarding this project will be announced at a later date.

This gift from the Convalescent Hospital for Children is expected to fund a substantial portion of the estimated total cost of both projects.  Additional philanthropic support will be sought to cover the remainder of the project costs.

Mental Health Care at Cincinnati Children’s 

In 2002, the Convalescent Hospital for Children helped Cincinnati Children’s establish a modern pediatric mental health facility in College Hill by opening two inpatient psychiatric units and two residential units.  Today, the College Hill Campus is the only residential treatment facility operating in a pediatric hospital in all of Ohio.  It currently provides outpatient, inpatient, and residential services. The facility serves nearly 2,100 inpatients each year, ages from 2-18. It offers horticulture, equine therapy and animal care programs.

Long-Term Care at Cincinnati Children’s 

Cincinnati Children’s has provided long-term care to patients over many years at its main campus in Avondale thanks to ongoing support from the Convalescent Hospital.   The vision is to provide a continuum of care for children with very complex conditions who need skilled nursing and medical care over an extended period of time.  Cincinnati Children’s plans to collaborate with existing long-term care providers in the community as it develops its plans.   Hospital officials said that many specifics still have to be worked out.

About Cincinnati Children’s

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S.News and World Report’s 2013 Best Children’s Hospitals ranking. It is ranked #1 for cancer and in the top 10 for nine of 10 pediatric specialties. Cincinnati Children’s is one of the top three recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and a research and teaching affiliate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The medical center is internationally recognized for improving child health and transforming delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org. Connect on the Cincinnati Children’s blog, via Facebook and on Twitter.

About the Convalescent Hospital for Children

Formerly known by its original name of the Convalescent Hospital for Children and Orphan Asylum, Convalescent Hospital for Children was established in 1833 to serve children with chronic conditions requiring long-term hospital care.  While Convalescent Hospital for Children closed its physical doors many years ago, today it has a volunteer board that raises funds and provides financial support for several specialized programs and other services housed at Cincinnati Children's including:

• The pediatric rehabilitation program, which offers comprehensive rehabilitation services for children suffering from injury or illness that leaves them with physical and / or cognitive disabilities.
• The transitional care center, which helps children with complex chronic medical conditions make the transition from hospital to home and specializes in management of patients who have had a tracheotomy or are on a ventilator.
• The Children’s Psychiatric Unit, which provides inpatient and partial hospitalization psychiatric services for children from birth to 12 years of age.
• Adolescent and medical psychiatric services for teens ages 12-18 who need combined medical and psychiatric services.
• Project Search, which provides healthcare, education and support services, to help young people with cognitive or physical disabilities find meaningful jobs and more fulfilling lives.
• The Perlman Center, a specialty center that provides one-of-a-kind integrated therapy programs and care coordination to improve outcomes for children with cerebral palsy and other physical conditions.  It is a leading regional resource for assistive technology.