Transition to Adulthood
Children’s Mercy will help you prepare for adulthood, including transferring your medical care to a doctor that cares for adults. Most people can learn to manage their own health. It takes guidance from your medical team and support from the important people in your life.
What does the Transition to Adulthood process look like?
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Starting around age 15 teens will complete an annual transition readiness survey and select an annual transition goal that they want to work on throughout the year. On the survey teens share what they know, what they are learning and what they need to learn.
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Medical care team will complete an annual transition discussion in each specialty and provide education on the teens selected transition goal.
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Children’s Mercy staff will start discussing options for adult providers two years prior to the time of transfer.
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The goal is for teens to transition to a provider who cares for adults between the ages of 18-22 years old.
What does this mean for you?
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Age 12: We will start talking with you about learning to manage your own health
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Age 15: We want you to spend part of your clinic visit talking alone with your care team.
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Age 18: We want you to be fully involved in your own health care.
The process may be a little different if you have special health care needs or an intellectual disability.
Teen and family advisory boards
Members of our Teen and Family Advisory Boards have helped us identify the information that will be most helpful to teens and their families.
Are you ready to transition to adult health care?
Transitioning to adult health care is a big step for youth and young adults. It takes preparation and self-advocacy much like going to college, getting a job, or living on your own.
Contact us
Stephanie Pratt
Transition Program Manager
(816) 760-5550
scpratt1@cmh.edu
Employment can support independence and quality of life for adults who have disabilities or chronic health conditions. View resources on career exploration.
Let us help you find doctors in the community that take care of adults with your medical condition. We will give you a list of doctors that you might want to choose from and things to think about when choosing a new doctor. Learn more about finding an adult-care doctor.
You and your medical team will create a plan just for you. We will teach you about your health condition and give you information on other topics. We have identified the steps to help you start to manage your own health and tips to learn those skills.
There are many things it is helpful to learn about to care for yourself. Here is a list of goals to help you manage your health, understand your medical condition, pay for your health care, and transfer to the care of an adult provider.
We have information available on a variety of topics to help you with this process. Our goal is for you to leave Children’s Mercy with the skills you need to take control of medical and personal decisions. Check out more resources and tips to help with you transition.
Think about the support your child will need to make decisions and manage life as an adult. Once your child turns 18, a parent can no longer consent to medical treatment on their behalf unless a legal document gives them that authority. Learn about tips and resources to help your child's transition into adulthood.
Children's Mercy will help prepare you for adulthood, including transferring your medical care to a doctor that cares for adults. Most people can learn to manage their own health. It takes guidance from your medical team and support from the important people in your life.