title: The National Spina Bifida Program transition initiative: the people, the plan, and the process.
abstract: This article outlines and summarizes the rationale and the working process that was undertaken by the National Spina Bifida Program to address the issues of transitioning throughout the life course for persons growing up with spina bifida. Their challenges include achieving independent living, vocational independence, community mobility, and participation in social activities, and health management. The creation, the underlying concepts, and the dissemination of the Life Course Model are described.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Development and Disability, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. csn2@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Judy K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Thibadeau
authors.forename: Ann I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Alriksson-Schmidt
authors.forename: T Andrew
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zabel
mesh_terms: D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000628:therapy*; D018511:Systems Integration