Pediatric Respiratory Care at Manning Family Children’s
The Ventilator Assisted Care Program (VACP) at Manning Family Children’s
is a community impact program designed to meet the unique needs of children
who require mechanical respiratory support at home. The VACP staff work
with patients 0-25 years of age and their families to access medical,
social, and educational services in their communities. VACP promotes safe
and effective community-based care. The goal of the program is to help
children gain greater independence by living healthy lives at home with
their families while decreasing the length of stay in a hospital setting.
The VACP serves children and young adults living in Louisiana who qualify
for Medicaid and require mechanical respiratory support for at least part
of each day. Physicians, state and private agencies, healthcare professionals,
and/or families can refer children to the VACP when a need for long-term,
complex respiratory care is identified.
The VACP team consists of support coordinators who are registered nurses
or licensed social workers, a registered respiratory therapist trainer,
a nurse consultant, an education specialist, an office coordinator, and
a manager. The team provides 24-hour on-call service, seven days a week.
For information about the Train the Trainer courses offered by VACP or
to register for a course, please email your request to
VACP@lcmchealth.org.
Three phases of the VACP
Phase I: The VACP provides family and caregiver training before the patient is
discharged from the hospital to ease the transition of returning home.
Phase II: The VACP team completes home visits with face-to-face assessments and
develops a comprehensive plan of care.
Phase III: The VACP coordinates outpatient care to assist the family in maintaining
the child’s health at home.
Continuity of care
The VACP team helps the family to obtain and coordinate healthcare services.
The team ensures that the patient’s care is transitioned from inpatient
to outpatient; including assessing needs before discharge, coordinating
with healthcare providers, ensuring follow-up care, and arranging necessary
resources (like home care or medication). The goal is to improve patient
outcomes by ensuring they receive the right care at the right time, and
that transitions between care settings are smooth and well-managed.
Crisis and Health Management
The team responds promptly to assist families with multiple and immediate
medical or social needs. VACP educates families on medical care and treatment.
The team works with physicians and other healthcare providers to ensure
the best health for the patient.
Medical Service Coordination
The VACP team helps to coordinate clinic and therapy appointments by working
with the family and physicians to identify and schedule needed treatments
and hospitalizations including transportation.
Disability Adjustment and Support
VACP provides information and support for families experiencing difficulty
understanding and accepting the implications of chronic illness and disability.
VACP connects caregivers to other families in similar situations to help
create a community of support.
Family Identified Needs
VACP completes home visits to assess the need for home or environmental
modifications or specialized medical equipment in order to care for their child.
Training
The VACP Respiratory Therapist Trainer ensures that families, home health
nurses, school nurses and faculty, and additional caregivers are able
to effectively care for the child’s specific needs – including
ventilators, tracheostomy care, and gastrostomy tubes.
Educational needs
The VACP team assists in accessing educational, vocational, or early intervention
services; assists school systems in obtaining MD orders, and planning
school health regimens and emergency plans. VACP offers orientation, training,
and technical assistance to faculty, staff, and student body in preparation
for caring for students with complex health needs. VACP helps families
advocate for the child’s educational rights.
Train the Trainer
VACP provides two Train the Trainer programs annually. This course prepares
school nurses throughout the State of Louisiana in Medication Administration
and Non-Complex Health Procedures: Teaching Clean and Intermittent Catheterization,
Airway Maintenance, and Gastrostomy Tube Feeding.
For more information about the Train the Trainer course offered by VACP,
or to register for a course, please email VACP@lcmchealth.org.
Referrals
The client does not need to be a patient of Manning Family Children’s
to be eligible for VACP services. VACP operates statewide for outpatient
case management. To refer a patient or obtain information, contact the
Ventilator Assisted Care Program at
504.896.9228.
To qualify for VACP Services, a candidate must meet the following criteria:
Live at home in Louisiana.
Be Medicaid eligible.
Be between the ages 0-25 years old.
Require mechanical respiratory support at least part of the day.
Have a Children’s Choice, New Opportunities Waiver (NOW), or Residential
Options Waiver (ROW)
OR Louisiana Healthcare Connections or United Healthcare.
