CHOSeN
Chronic Health-Oriented Services for Niños
The Chronic Health-Oriented Services for Niños, or CHOSeN, is a primary medical home for children and young adults with multiple chronic health care needs. The team provides case-management and family support services from birth to age 25 with access to a variety of specialists.
Since the 1990s, CHOSeN has helped families plan the most appropriate services for their child and develop a system of care. These services range from identifying funding sources for emergencies, planning for future self-advocacy, establishing a community team for family support, and more.
Services
As a medical home, CHOSeN provides coordinated medical care with 24/7 availability. Services include:
- Routine well-child visits
- Specialty-physician consult coordination
- Parent and family education regarding the patient’s condition
- Evaluation for home nursing, therapy, and equipment needs
- Inpatient care coordination at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital
And as a case-management/family support provider, CHOSeN offers:
- Parent support groups
- Assistance with appointments and insurance needs
- Communication with and education for school personnel
- Advocacy and supportive counseling
- Individualized ongoing assessment
- Recreational and respite resources
- Location and coordination of community-based services
A CHOSeN social worker provides families with information on programs like Medicaid waivers, Early Childhood Intervention, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and more that are important to the development of patients and excellent resources to ensure their health and wellness. Trainees can participate in CHOSeN’s comprehensive, collaborative approach to care for these young patients who have been diagnosed with at least one chronic medical condition plus two comorbidities.
This also includes patients with multiple and moderate-to-severe disabilities and special health care needs including but not limited to:
- Developmental disabilities
- Intellectual disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism
- Neurological disorders: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, epilepsy, mitochondrial disorder, cerebral palsy, head injuries, and spinal cord injuries
- Complex congenital heart disease: transposition of the great vessels, tetralogy of fallot, total anomalous pulmonary venous return
- Genetic disorders: rare genetic and chromosomal abnormalities, trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), CHARGE syndrome
Clinic Information
CHOSeN hours are Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the UTHealth Houston Professional Building, 6410 Fannin, Suite 500. The CHOSeN Transition Program hours are Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the same location. To request an appointment, call 713-500-5656.
CHOSeN Care Team
Holly D. Smith, MDFounder and Medical Director, CHOSeN Transition Clinic
Laura M. Deming, APRN