STRATEGIC PLAN
The Interdisciplinary Collaborative on Healthcare and Education Transition (ICHET)
2013-2015
ORGANIZATION:
The Interdisciplinary Collaborative on Healthcare and Education Transition (ICHET) – a collaboration
between the University of Florida’s Colleges of Medicine and Eduction.
PURPOSE:
ICHET’s mission is to enhance service, provide training and conduct research supporting the successful,
comprehensive transition of youth and young adults with special healthcare needs from pediatric to adult
oriented healthcare; from school to higher education and employment and from adolescence to adulthood
and the ongoing pursuit of dreams and ambitions.
EXECUTIVE BOARD:
Co-Chairs and Founding Members:
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Jeanne B. Repetto, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the School of Special Education, School
Psychology, and Early Childhood at the University of Florida. Her current interests include,
health care transition, students at risk and online learning, and transition.
Susan Chauncey Horky, LCSW is Co-director of and Social Work Faculty in the Pediatric
Pulmonary Center (PPC) Interdisciplinary Leadership Training Program. She conducts research
on topics related to healthcare transition, cultural competence, and family centered care and
physician-patient communication.
Founding Members:
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Jenna Gonzalez, Ed.S. is a staff member at the University of Florida in the College of Education.
Both her Masters and Specialist degree is in Special Education. After graduating, she taught in
both public and private sector high schools. Jenna is now a member of the ICHET group and is
working on the Education Health Care Transition Graduate Online Certificate.
Angela Miney, BA, is the Family Partner in the University of Florida Pediatric Pulmonary
Center. As the parent of a child with a chronic illness she is interested in Patient and Family
Centered Care, specifically in holistic approaches to the patient that build lasting and effective
partnerships.
John Reiss, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at University of Florida. His work has
focused on facilitating collaborative action among public and private sector organizations at the
federal, regional, and state and between families and professionals to improve the organization,
financing and delivery of health care for CYSHCN; and to promote full partnership with families.
Arwa Saidi, MB. BCh is a Professor at the University of Florida, College of Medicine. Her
current interests are transition of the pediatric patient with chronic health care needs to adult care
and educating medical providers about how to incorporate transition into their clinical practice.
STRUCTURE:
Executive Board
Members meet bi-weekly to plan and implement collaborative activities and to explore the
communication challenges inherent in bringing education and healthcare together. To date we have
developed an online graduate course, published articles, conducted research and been involved in a range
of activities including conferences and on line learning activities. Other interested professionals regularly
attend ICHET meetings.
Susan Chauncey Horky - chauncey@ufl.edu
Jenna Gonzalez – jgonzalez@coe.ufl.edu
Angela Miney - aminey@peds.ufl.edu
John Reiss - jgreiss@ufl.edu
Jeanne Repetto - jrepetto@coe.ufl.edu
Arwa Saidi - asaidi@pedcard.ufl.edu
Advisory Board
Board members meet by conference call twice a year to review current work and provide guidance on
future initiatives. In addition, email correspondence is used as needed throughout the year to assist in
idea generation and program promotion.
Kate Gonsalves
7200 Lawton Chiles Ln.
Tallahassee, FL 32312
Gonsalvesk@leonschools.net
Paula Kohler, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Research
Co-Director, National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center
Walwood Hall
1903 West Michigan Avenue
481Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
paula.kohler@wmich.edu
Don Lollar, Ed.D.
Oregon Institute on Disability and Development
Oregon Health & Science University
707 SW Gaines Street
Portland, OR 97239
lollar@ohsu.edu
Pablo Saldana, Ph.D., LCSW, CRC
Nemours Children’s Clinic
807 Children’s Way
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Pablo.Saldana@nemours.org
Judy L. Shanley, Ph.D.
Director, Student Engagement & Mobility Management
Co-Director, National Center for Mobility Management
Easter Seals Transportation Group
1425 K Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
jshanley@easterseals.com
Patience White, MD, MA
Co-director
Got Transition: Center for Health Care Transition Improvement
Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
pwhite@thenationalalliance.org
David Wood, MD, MPH
Professor, UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville
580 W. 8th St., Room 6015
Jacksonville, FL 32209
david.wood@jax.ufl.edu
CORE VALUES:
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Integration of Healthcare Transition (HCT) and Education Transition (ET) will enhance, and
make more effective, the transition experience for teens, their families and professionals from
both disciplines.
HCT and ET should be integrated, depending on the individual teen’s unique needs and in
collaboration with the teen and his/her family. Systems should be developed to facilitate this
integration and collaboration.
Each profession has much to offer the other. Coordination and collaboration within a patient and
family centered philosophy of care will result in better outcomes for the teen and family.
Good health leads to increased ability to work and play: better preparation of students for their
futures, less frustration for teachers, less administrative/system time spent on helping students
make up missed days/work, so both fields will benefit.
CURRENT WORK:

Official University of Florida EdHCT Certificate Program
o http://education.ufl.edu/education-healthcare-transition/
o First cohort graduated May 2013 (6 members)
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Publications
Repetto, J., Jaress, J., Lindsey, J., & Bae, J. (in press). Investigation of health care components
in Transition IEPs. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.
Repetto, J., Horky, S., Miney, A., Reiss, J., Saidi, A., Wolcott, L., Saldana, P., & Jaress, J.
(2012). Expanding transition to address the needs of students with invisible chronic
illness. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. 35, 4-13.
Collins, S., Reiss, J., & Saidi, A. (April, 2012). Transition of care: what is the pediatric
hospitalist's role? An exploratory survey of current attitudes. Hospital Medicine, 7(4).
277-81.
Saidi A., Reiss, J., Breitinger, P., Black, E., Paolillo, J., & Collins, S. (2011). Web-based
learning: Is it an effective method for educating pediatric residents about transition to
adult subspecialty congenital heart disease care? International Journal Child Adolescent
Health, 3 (4) .585-593
Meadows, A.K., Bosco, V.,Tong, E.,Fernandes, S., & Saidi, A. (July, 2009). Transition and
transfer from pediatric to adult care of the young adult with complex congenital heart
disease. Current Cardiology Reports. 11 (4).
Repetto, J., Gibson, R., Lubbers, J., Gritz, S., & Reiss, J. (2008). A statewide study of knowledge
and attitudes regarding health care transition. Career Development for Exceptional
Individuals. 31 (1), 5 – 13.
Repetto, J., Gibson, R., Lubbers, J., Gritz, S., & Reiss, J. (2008). Practical applications of
confidentiality rules to health care transition instruction. Remedial and Special
Education. 29 (2), 118-126.
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Presentations
Horky, S. (October, 2013). Bipartisan Agreement: Education and Healthcare Transition, Shall the
Twain Ever Meet? Presented at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Salt
Lake City, UT.
Repetto, J., Horky, S., Saidi, A., Miney, A. & Gonzalez, J. (July, 2013). The Education and
Transition (EDHCT) Certificate: An On-Line Graduate Program Supporting Systems
Change for Young Adults with Invisible Chronic Illness (ICI). EDULearn: 5th
International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona,
Spain.
Repetto, J., Horky, S., Saidi, A., Miney, A. & Gonzalez, J. (June, 2013). The Education and
Heathcare Transition (Ed-HCT) Model: Supporting Bright Futures for Young Adults with
Invisible Chronic Illness. International Conference: Life Design and Career Counseling
Building Hope and Resilience, Padova, Italy.
Repetto, J., Horky, S., Miney, A., Reiss, J., Saidi, A. & Lindsey, J. (April, 2013). Improving
postsecondary outcome for youth with special health care needs. Council for Exceptional
Children Convention, San Antonio, TX.
Repetto, J., Lindsey, J., Horky, S., Reiss, J., Miney, A., & Saidi, A. (May, 2012). Improving
postsecondary outcome for youth with special health care needs. Division in Career
Development and Transition 2012 Visions Conference, Tampa, FL
Horky, S. & Repetto, J. (May, 2012). Improving postsecondary outcomes for youth with special
health care needs. Annual Capacity Building Institute, Charlotte, NC.
Repetto, J., Horky, S., Miney, A., Reiss, J., Saidi, A. & Lindsey, J. (May, 2012). Improving
postsecondary outcome for youth with special health care needs. National Transition
Conference, Washington, DC.
Horky, S., (February, 2011). The interdisciplinary collaborative on healthcare and education
transition (ICHET): An integrative approach. Association of Maternal and Child Health
Programs, Washington, DC.
Repetto, J., Horky, S., Miney,A., Reiss, J., & Saidi, A. (November, 2010). Expanding transition
to serve students with special health needs. TED Conference in St. Louis, MO.
Horky, S., Repetto, J., Reiss, J., & Saidi, A. (October, 2010). The interdisciplinary collaborative
on healthcare and education transition (ICHET): An integrative approach. The North
American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Baltimore, MD.
Saidi, A., Reiss, J., Breitinger, P., Black, E., Paolillo, J., & Collins, S. (October, 2010). Web based learning: is it an effective method for educating pediatric and family practice
residents about transition to adult subspecialty congenital Heart Disease care? American
Academy of Pediatrics, National Conference and Exhibition. San Francisco, CA.
Collins, S., Reiss, J., & Saidi, A. (October, 2010). Transition of Care: What is the Hospitalists
Role? A Survey of Current Attitudes. American Academy of Pediatrics, National
Conference and Exhibition. San Francisco, CA.
Repetto, J., Horkey, S., Saidi, A., Modica, R., Reiss, J., & Gibson, R., (2009). Health Care
Personnel and Educators: Friends or Foes in Health Care Transition, Presented at the
International Division on Career Education and Transition, Savannah, GA.

Research
o Cystic Fibrosis Providers Awareness of Education Transition. Online Survey 2012
o Investigation of health care components in Transition IEPs. Document review 2010
o A statewide study of knowledge and attitudes regarding health care transition. 2007
Survey
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Technical assistance and consultation
o Horky, S. & Repetto, J. (June 28, 2013). The Role of Schools in Health Care Transition.
FloridaHATS Webinar.
o Repetto, J. (2010). Medical and family partnerships for transition. Grand Rounds,
Shands UF, Gainesville. FL. (invited speaker)