Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute
Patient and Family Wellness Center | School Intervention Program

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School Intervention Program

The School Intervention Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has been helping sensitize schools to the needs of children with cancer since 1979. As one of the first of its kind in the country, the program has received national and international recognition for the innovative efforts in reintegrating children with chronic illness back into the classroom.

Serving Children with Cancer, Blood Disorders, and Traumatic Brain Injury

Over time, the School Intervention Program has expanded and now serves students with cancer, blood diseases, and traumatic brain injuries. The SIP team offers services to students actively receiving treatment and those students who have completed treatment, yet might be experiencing difficulties in school.

Program Objectives

The three main program objectives of the School Intervention Program include:

  • Providing access to educational services during and following treatment
  • Supporting the child's continued involvement in daily activities
  • Preventing or minimizing future educational problems related to medical absences, the diagnosis, and / or treatment

The following services are examples of some of the support available to patients:

  • Act as the link between patient/family, the school, and the patient’s medical team
  • Facilitate medical documentation for school
  • Provide staff and peers with information about patient’s diagnosis, treatment, and implications on education
  • Coordinate neuropsychological evaluation process
  • Prevent or minimize future educational problems related to medical absences, the diagnosis, treatment, and/or side effects
  • Improve communication between the medical and education teams, making the transition back to school easier
  • Provide access to educational / vocational services during and following treatment
  • Assistance with goal setting / self-advocacy in regards to college / vocational planning (i.e. disability services, college scholarships, GED, etc.)
The medical teams can refer specific patients of the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute or the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine for SIP services. Target age groups include patients in preschool through post-secondary transitions (college, a training program, or employment).
"We value all of the time and effort that [our school intervention specialist] has put forth to help us. Without her intervention, Adam would not be where he is today in his academics."

" I feel so very fortunate to have [our school intervention specialist] and the resources of the Intervention Program available to us.  It has given us the opportunity to focus on Ryan and the numerous other issues our family must face, as our child undergoes the lengthy thirty-eight months of cancer treatment."

"I am certain Aaron would not have been as successful in his school career had it not been for the early and continued support of the school intervention staff at Cincinnati Children's."
School intervention specialists are the link between the family, the school and the child's medical team. School intervention specialists work closely with the child's teachers to provide staff and peers with information about the child's diagnosis and assist with obtaining the required school services for the child.
The School Intervention Program is targeted to students from age 3 to 22 years old.
The School Intervention Program is targeted to students from age 3 to 22 years old.

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