Child Life

Child Life

Our Child Life Department focuses on enhancing patients’ emotional, social, and cognitive growth during their hospital stay through developmental play interventions and procedural support. Child Life Specialists promote effective coping and facilitate healing through play, preparation, and education.  They provide emotional support for families and encourage optimum development of children facing challenging experience related to healthcare and hospitalization.

Child Life specialists provide encouragement, information and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members to incorporate a family-centered care outlook.

About Our Department

Our Goals

The goals of our Child Life team are to:

  • Ease a child’s fear and anxiety through offering therapeutic and recreational play activities.
  • Encourage understanding and mastery by providing preparation and support for children undergoing surgeries and procedures through education and medical play.
  • Engage children and families by coordinating special events, entertainment, and activities to help normalize the hospital environment.
  • Support the needs of siblings or other who may also be affected by a child’s illness, trauma, or procedures.

Our Staff

From left to right: Olivia Bowie, Caleigh O’Leary, Christina Listernick, Haley Hutchings and Aubree Ronan

The members of the Child Life Team are certified professionals that, at a minimum, have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in child life or child development. We are also additionally certified in infant massage, car seat installation, PeaceLove trainings, and Life is Good Playmakers.

Haley Hutchings, MS, CCLS
Lead Certified Child Life Specialist

Olivia Bowie, MS, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist

Christina Listernick, MS, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist

Caleigh O’Leary, MS, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist

Aubree Ronan, MS, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist

Child Life Internships

We are not currently offering internship opportunities. Please check back at a later date.

Resources

Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs

  • Download our Kid Welcome Book – a unique visual resource designed to walk you and your child through what a stay in our inpatient rehabilitation programs will look like

Surgical Services