Child Life Program Impact
At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we understand how overwhelming healthcare and hospitalization can be, especially for kids. We’re dedicated to improving their experience by engaging and empowering children in their medical care. Our child life team partners with physicians, nurses and other medical professionals to create an emotionally safe experience for our patients and their families.
Through the contributions of generous donors, we are one of the largest and most innovative child life programs in the country. Our Child Life Department is leading the way in improving healthcare experiences for kids through therapeutic play, connection, creativity, medical dogs, gaming and more.
Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) are specially trained healthcare professionals who help children and families deal with stress and fear from a diagnosis or medical visit.
What is a Child Life specialist?
Generous funding has supported Positions, Programming, and Professional Development
Programming:
- Beads of Courage Programming in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and NICU
- Supported Holiday Programming, teddy bear clinics and Snowflake Market events
- Created the inaugural Southern Colorado Youth Advisory Council, concluding year one with 8 returning members who have healthcare experiences they would like to share with others to positively improve the experiences of other youth and families
- Providing snacks and meals while also bringing fun to the experience during monthly in-person meetings that generate ideas, build community and determine impactful ways for the teens to use their voice and lived experience to help others
Professional Development
- Professional development opportunities to our Child Life Specialists
- 5 team members attended the Association of Child Life Professionals National Conference in Los Angeles, CA for networking and to ensure they can operate at top of scope and provide evidence-based practice
- Supporting team members who are submitting abstracts and presenting the amazing work that is being done at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs
Positions:
- Part-time Child Life educator position who helps facilitate educational programming for patients, families, child life staff, hospital staff and community partners
- Part-time special events and community partnership program coordinator who collaborates with our community partners to host, facilitate and offer special events for patients and families throughout the year
- Mentor position who supports new team members as well as team members who have experienced recent transitions professionally and personally
Programming:
- Beads of Courage Programming in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Heart Institute, NICU and Inpatient Pulmonology
- Support for our annual prom, teddy bear clinic and snow pile events
- Purchased new sensory equipment for our patients with special healthcare needs to create a more comfortable environment as well as other sensory and adaptive support items such as toys and weighted blankets
- Maintaining a robust stock of all necessary supplies for patients and families including sensory, adaptive and DHEI resources
- Facilitating special events and education during child life month for child life staff and hospital staff
- Supporting our school specialists at Children’s Colorado and stocking supplies for academic support
- Sending staff to conferences, webinars and continuing education and hosting team retreats to support education, training and resiliency
- Ongoing support for team members through the bad day box, meals, t-shirts and other team building activities
- At all systems of care including North metro, South metro and Colorado Springs, the Child Life teams will come together in fall 2025 for an educational retreat that will promote ongoing professional development, team resiliency and to promote alignment across our system of care
Mentors Support New Employees
In 2024, the Child Life Mentor Program Coordinator position was established to help support and enhance the child life mentor program. This Coordinator engages new hire employees acclimating to the hospital and department through 1:1 support aimed at helping navigate the professional and personal experiences that arise. The Child Life Mentor Program offers guidance and support through peer mentorship during a CCLS’s first year of employment.
As the program continues to develop, new interventions will be implemented with the goal of helping enhance the employee experience, retention and employee resiliency, which will directly impact the important care provided to patients and families.
In January 2025, we expanded our Medical Dog program in the Southern Region by adding a secondary handler to the team. With two Medical Dog Handlers we can provide comprehensive support in seven departments and clinics.
1,000+
Medical Dog patient encounters in Colorado Springs in 2024
6,039
Medical Dog patient encounters at Anschutz in 2024
“Philanthropic funding helps us support the education needed for our handlers to have the specialized training to work with these highly skilled medical dogs.”
—Katie Kolbeck, MS, CCLS | Manager Child Life
Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs
Far Reaching Impact Across Patient Population
55,984
15
18,406
Increased Bandwidth and Research
Thanks to funding from generous donors, the child life program continued to increase its bandwidth and research program by adding a Clinical Practice Specialist, a Senior Clinical Research Coordinator and a Clinical Research Coordinator in 2024.
The child life team is participating in research projects including: the use of incentives for children undergoing medical procedures; the impact of distraction during transition to the operating room and anesthesia induction using a novel virtual reality software program called “Gurney Journey”; an evaluation of a child life led dental desensitization program for children with dental fear and Describing a Medical Dog Program at a Pediatric Children’s Hospital facilitated by Child Life Specialists.
Giving Patients a Voice
“I took a pulmonary patient, who loves to sing, to host her own concert in Seacrest Studios for her birthday. It took a lot of coordination, but she was smiling and loving the attention, surrounded by her family and care team. We coordinated with her music therapist to help support her singing and sharing her favorite songs. Her family were grateful for the opportunity to have more family members present for this special occasion as we limit how many can visit at the bedside.”
Utilizing Play for Learning and Coping
“As a CCLS at Telstar Therapy Care at Children’s Colorado, I’ve had the privilege of supporting patients through the cochlear implant process alongside the candidacy team. One of my first patients, diagnosed with auditory neuropathy and speech delays, was understandably anxious. Through collaboration with his speech therapist, we used visual aids and medical play to prepare him and his family for surgery. Play became a powerful tool for learning and coping, and I was honored to witness his excitement as he explored each step. His joy upon hearing sounds for the first time—and his family’s gratitude—was unforgettable.”
“After a procedure, the mother of one patient expressed appreciation for child life services and complemented our team on our multidisciplinary approach to care. Mom asked me to send her information about the sensory resources we used during the procedure because they were so effective in helping him cope. These sensory items were purchased with the support of our Spirit of Children funding. There are now 8 sensory bins across inpatient and outpatient units at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.”.
Child Life Specialist, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs
We are deeply grateful for your support!
Thanks to our many generous donors, our Certified Child Life Specialists at all locations of the Children’s Hospital Colorado system have the resources necessary to support a positive healthcare experience for thousands of patients and families each year. Thank you, for “Making Hospitals Less Scary.”
Learn more about Child Life at Children’s Colorado