Initiated by The Jason Program, in collaboration with Jewelers for Children, the project's goal is to address these critical unmet needs by creating compassionate communities with improved collaboration among professionals, children, and their families. Jewelers for Children is supporting the development of the program financially, and local jewelers throughout the country will become involved in a number of ways.

Gems of Care will be in a development phase through 2007.  As the project becomes established, a variety of resources will be made available to interested communities:

• Consultation from clinicians, community-based leaders, and consumers with experience developing integrated systems of care.

• Educational opportunities through collaboration with The Initiative for Pediatric Palliative Care,a national initiative spearheaded by Education Development Center, Inc.
  
  
• Streamlined information and resource sharing through web linkages with Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and Partnership for Parents, a program of Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition.

California and New England will be the first to pilot the program and will sponsor IPPC educational retreats in the winter and spring of 2007. For dates and locations, please visit www.ippcweb.org.

Please continue to check this website for ongoing updates about the Gems of Care program.

For more information, please register here or contact Kate Eastman, PsyD, LCSW at (207) 773-2947 or info@gemsofcare.org.