CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS ALLIANCE OF TN

$98,000 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL ADVOCACY AND ANNUAL MEETINGS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM EXPENSE IS RELATED TO MEMBER ADVOCACY WHICH INCLUDES STAFF SALARY AND ANNUAL MEETING COSTS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS SECURING $10MILLION IN DIRECT FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT FOR THE STATE'S 5 NONPROFIT CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS IMPROVE FACILITIES AND AUGMENT STAFF TO ADDRESS THE PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS.2025 REPRESENTED A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL STABILIZATION AND EXPANDED INFLUENCE FOR THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL ALLIANCE OF TENNESSEE (CHAT). OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED ITS INTERNAL LEADERSHIP FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT OF THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT. IN MARCH 2025, CHAT WELCOMED A NEW PROJECT MANAGER, CALLIE ROWLAND, MPH, WHOSE BACKGROUND IN PERINATAL QUALITY COLLABORATIVES HAS ENERGIZED THE ORGANIZATION'S DATA-DRIVEN ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THE ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY OPERATES WITH 1.75 FTES AND HAS MOVED TO A MORE EFFICIENT COMBINED MODEL FOR QUALITY-SAFETY COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. QUALITY AND SAFETY COLLABORATIVE (QSC)CHAT CONTINUES TO LEAD THE TENNESSEE STATE-LEVEL COLLABORATIVE WITHIN THE NATIONAL SOLUTIONS FOR PATIENT SAFETY (SPS), WHERE IT IS RECOGNIZED AS A MODEL FOR THE NATION. IN AUGUST 2025, CHAT HOSTED AN ANNUAL CONVENING FEATURING THE CEO OF SPS TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES AMONG QUALITY AND SAFETY LEADERS. THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATED THESE QUALITY EFFORTS INTO LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY, USING DATA TO DEMONSTRATE HOW HOSPITAL INVESTMENTS IN SAFETY REDUCE BOTH PATIENT HARM AND OVERALL HEALTHCARE COSTS. IN ADDITION, THE QSC WORK NOW INCLUDES COORDINATING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORK GROUP CONVENINGS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH A BEHAVIORAL OR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE IN THE HOSPITALS. STATE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AND RULEMAKING THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINED A ROBUST PRESENCE AT THE TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, CONDUCTING MORE THAN A DOZEN MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS DURING THE ANNUAL "DAY ON THE HILL". KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS (NICU): CHAT SERVED AS A VITAL PEDIATRIC VOICE FOR THE HEALTH FACILITIES COMMISSION (HFC), ADVISING ON THE CREATION OF NEW NICU LICENSURE STANDARDS AND ENSURING RULEMAKING RECOGNIZED THE UNIQUE NATURE OF STAND-ALONE NICUS. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: CHAT SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE CONTINUED FUNDING OF YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES IN THE FINAL STATE BUDGET. ADDITIONALLY, CHAT LED A PANEL ON YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FOR "HEARTLAND HEALTH FORWARD AND PARTICIPATED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT. IDD GAPS IN CARE: THE ORGANIZATION IDENTIFIED AND DOCUMENTED CRITICAL GAPS IN CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (IDD), SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THE 1,500 DAYS CHILDREN IN STATE CUSTODY SPENT IN HOSPITALS AFTER BEING MEDICALLY CLEARED. LEGISLATIVE CHAMPIONS WERE IDENTIFIED AND CONVENED MULTIPLE MULTI-AGENCY MEETINGS. LEGISLATION WAS DRAFTED AT THE END OF 2025 TO RUN IN THE 2026 GENERAL ASSEMBLY. SAFETY FOR CHILDREN: FOLLOWING THE ANXIOUS GENERATION THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO GROUPS SUCH AS 'SAY YES TO RECESS' - SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATING FOR ADDITIONAL RECESS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND A BILL TO BAN CELL PHONES DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. IT IS EXPECTED IN 2026 THERE WILL BE GREATER EMPHASIS ON HARMS CAUSED TO CHILDREN DUE TO ONLINE ACTIVITIES AT SCHOOL AND THROUGH VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA AND APPS MARKETED AS SAFE FOR CHILDREN BUT WHICH ARE SHOWING DEMONSTRABLE HARM. FEDERAL ADVOCACY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, CHAT REMAINED DEEPLY ENGAGED WITH THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION (CHA). IN DECEMBER 2024, CHAT LEADERS CONDUCTED DELEGATION VISITS TO WASHINGTON D.C. TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ACCELERATING KIDS' ACCESS TO CARE ACT (S.752), THE KOSA ACT, AND STABLE MEDICAID FUNDING. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO AUTHORED A JOINT LETTER TO THE TENNESSEE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REGARDING THE IMPACTS OF HR1 ON MEMBER HOSPITALS. INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE STRATEGY CHAT HAS TAKEN A PROACTIVE ROLE IN SHAPING THE 2024 HOSPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM (HIP), WORKING TO ENSURE THAT QUALITY "HOLD BACK" PAYMENTS AND METRICS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR PEDIATRIC CARE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO IDENTIFIED ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM (RHTP) TO ENSURE A PEDIATRIC VOICE IN FUND ALLOCATION AND SUBMITTED THREE PEDIATRIC-DRIVEN IDEAS FOR INCLUSION IN THE STATE'S RHTP APPLICATION. CHAT HOSTED THE MULTI-STATE CONVENING OF STATE ASSOCIATION LEADERS IN NASHVILLE FOR THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION. 2025 LETTERS AND POSITION PAPERSAS PART OF ITS MISSION TO PROVIDE INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION, THE ORGANIZATION AUTHORED THE FOLLOWING KEY DOCUMENTS THIS YEAR:-EDUCATING HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN: LEADERSHIP DOCUMENT FOR THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND DOE (JAN 2025). -CHAT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES: COMPREHENSIVE "DAY ON THE HILL" POLICY GUIDE (FEB 2025). -THE VALUE OF QUALITY AND SAFETY: ADVOCACY DOCUMENT LINKING SAFETY INVESTMENTS TO COST REDUCTION (FEB 2025). -HR1 IMPACTS TO CHAT: FORMAL LETTER TO TENNESSEE'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION (MAR 2025). -NICU LICENSURE STANDARDS REVIEW: GUIDANCE AND CORRECTIONS PROVIDED TO THE HEALTH FACILITIES COMMISSION (JUN 2025). REDUCING RATES OF FATAL DROWNING: EDUCATIONAL BRIEF FOR LEGISLATORS AND TCCY (JUL 2025). -RURAL HEALTH TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM: PEDIATRIC-FOCUSED CONCEPTS FOR THE RHTP FUND (AUG 2025). -GAPS IN CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH IDD: ANALYSIS FOR THE COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (SEP 2025). -GOOD CAUSE REVIEW LETTER: FORMAL COMMUNICATION TO TENNCARE (SEP 2025). -MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STATUS & FUNDING REQUEST: JOINT LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND STATE AGENCIES (NOV 2025).

$65,500 QUALITY SAFETY COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT & ANNUAL MEETING THE SECOND HIGHEST PROGRAM COST IS THE QUALITY SAFETY COLLABORATIVE, WHOSE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS TO REDUCE HARM TO PATIENTS WHILE HOSPITALIZED REDUCING HOSPITAL ACQUIRED CONDITIONS, INCREASING CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL COMMUNICATION, AND SHARING BEST PRACTICES FROM THE SPS NETWORK ALL WHICH RESULT IN BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN SERVED IN OUR STATE'S COMPREHENSIVE NON-PROFIT CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. IN ADDITION, THE COLLABORATIVE WELCOMED A NEW LEADER WITH A STRONG BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND QUALITY.