The division of developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP) at Hasbro Children’s Hospital has received a yearly grant of $142,467 from the Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, renewable for five years. The hospital is one of 24 universities and teaching hospitals across the country receiving a total of $4.5 million to support graduate level students training for careers in maternal and pediatric health care this year.

The leadership grants are targeted at the next generation of supervisory clinicians and rising administrators in five critical disciplines: nursing, nutrition, communication disorders, social work and developmental behavioral pediatrics. The grants seek to promote the training of critical-need specialists and health care administrators through aid programs to universities and other teaching institutions.

Pamela High, MD, director of the DBP program at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, says, “Hasbro Children’s Hospital typically trains three fellows in developmental-behavioral pediatrics. This grant will support the training of one additional fellow each year in developmental-behavioral pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital over the next five years.” DBP fellowship training lasts three years, after completion of a three-year general pediatric residency.

Developmental-behavioral pediatricians focus on developmental and behavioral assessment and care of children beginning in infancy as well as interdisciplinary collaboration. Children are evaluated most often for motor, language, social or adaptive development, including those with possible attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders or learning differences.

High also notes, “In addition, this grant will allow us to provide consultation to the Early Intervention programs in the state and to work with the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We will provide consultation to community pediatricians on addressing the needs of their patients with developmental and behavioral concerns by providing monthly interactive discussion groups and other continuing medical education opportunities.”

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. Under a 70-year-old congressional mandate, HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau works to safeguard the health of the nation’s women, children and families.