Annotation: The Southwest Institute for Families and Children with Special Needs focuses on services for children and adolescents with special health care needs in making the transition to adult life in Arizona. Research is conducted to produce scientifically and socially valid results; contribute to knowledge about families, children, and youth with special needs; focus on topics that reflect changing demographics, life spans, barriers, and needs; use research designs that include potential consumers (parents, children and youth, teachers, physicians) in every step of the research process; produce research products that promote the transfer of knowledge to families and service providers; use multiple methods of research to ensure that results reflect the most current knowledge in the area, as well as the beliefs, expectations and daily lives of its potential consumers. Demonstration and implementation of research translates state-of-the-art knowledge into practice in conducting demonstration and implementation projects based on evidence supported practices; developing products for practitioners and parents that synthesize research-findings; promote collaboration between families and health, education, and social service providers through demonstration and implementation projects; and promote system-wide change as an outcome of family-provider collaboration in project activities. Additional focus is on program evaluation for projects-in-process and preparing personnel including inservice providers in the research-to-practice process.
Keywords: Adolescents with special health care needs, Children with special health care needs, Inservice training, Professional training, Service delivery, Transition to independent living
