Caregiver Wellbeing Special Interest Group

Mission and Goals

We approach our work recognizing the critical importance of addressing the systems-related needs of pediatric patients, including caregiver wellbeing. Research in multiple pediatric populations has shown that wellbeing, including mental and physical health, can be diminished for a subset of parents. Not only does this affect the parent but it can also lead to less than optimal outcomes for pediatric patients. Clinical best practices have highlighted the importance of addressing caregiver wellbeing and the mission of the Caregiver Wellbeing SIG is to provide a forum for members of SPP to share and learn about working with caregivers in pediatric settings.

The overall goals of the Caregiver Wellbeing SIG are:

  1. Provide a forum to share advances, best practices, and challenges in working with adult caregivers in pediatric populations.
  2. Create and foster meaningful partnerships with caregiver stakeholders.
  3. Develop and disseminate resources for both clinicians and families, including best practice guidelines for addressing caregiver mental health.
  4. Facilitate research and clinical collaborations across institutions in order to advance practices with caregivers and promote caregiver wellbeing.
  5. Provision of training for the broad membership of SPP focused on addressing caregiver wellbeing in pediatric settings, including training focused on ethical considerations.
  6. Foster mentorship opportunities and provide education/training to pediatric psychology trainees regarding working with caregivers.

Please visit our website for more information: Caregiver Wellbeing Website

IG: @caregiverwellbeingspp

Twitter: @caregiverSIGSPP

Leadership

SIG Co-Chairs
Chrissy Salley, PhD (Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone)
Dana Bakula, PhD (Children's Mercy Kansas City)

Education Subcommittee Co-Chairs
Rachel Moore, PhD (Children's Mercy Kansas City)
Christina Sharkey, PhD (Children's National Hospital)

Research Subcommittee Co-Chairs
Kendra Parris, PhD (St. Jude)
Beverly Bernal, PsyD (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center)

Clinical Practice Subcommittee Co-Chairs
Cate Flanagan, PhD (Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo)
Nicole Dempster, PhD (Nationwide Children's Hospital)

Outreach Subcommittee Co-Chairs
Colleen Driscoll, PhD (Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone)
Theresa Kapke, PhD (Children's Wisconsin)

Trainee Reps: Nicole Ruppe, MA (Oklahoma State University) & Kody Sexton, MSEd (University of Tennessee Knoxville)

JOIN

SPP members can join the Caregiver Wellbeing SIG by logging into the Member Portal and going to "Join a SIG/RIG/Affinity Group" on the dropbox.