Teen Advisory Council
At Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware we’re very fortunate to have a vibrant group of teens who commit their time and talents to making the hospital a better place for our patients and families. Each month, the Teen Advisory Council (TAC) comes together to improve our care in all kinds of ways. TAC members help us make meaningful improvements for all the children and their families while in the hospital. We rely on our teen advisory council to help create new services, streamline our processes, and even weigh in on how to build a better place to care for children.
- Who We Are
- Projects & Initiatives
- Testimonials
- Get Involved
- Contact Us
Our Teen Advisory Council (TAC)
Made up of teens, many who have chronic or complex health conditions, the Teen Advisory Council (TAC) provides insight on what patients want most! TAC does whatever it takes to make the hospital a “home away from home” for the patients who come here. Our members:
- are active and important in the day-to-day life of Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware as they develop and foster partnerships among children, families and providers
- are the voice of hospital patients and advocate for new ideas or changes assist in patient/staff education and professional development
- increase awareness of the unique needs of adolescents with chronic medical conditions, as well as the needs of their siblings
- engage the community as active, positive hospital ambassadors
- come up with ways to make hospital policies, services and programs better for patients and families
Accomplishments & Initiatives
TAC (formerly Youth Advisory Council) was started in 2010. Since then, we've accomplished many things:
- Educating staff on using teen friendly language, planning fun and therapeutic events for patients, and celebrating and appreciating staff for the difference they have made in the lives of patients and families.
- Creating a better place for kids and teens by helping design parts of the hospital’s expansion project like choosing the color of the building’s exterior, patient room furniture, and the location and size of the patient room TVs.
- Improving patient morale by creating colorful spoke covers (no more pinched fingers) for the hospital’s 120+ wheelchairs.
- Providing feedback to various interdisciplinary teams working on projects and initiatives across the hospital, ensuring the teenage voice is heard.
- Working alongside donors to provide normalizing activities and comfort items to children and teenagers in the hospital to improve their overall experience.
And so much more. If you’ve been a patient here or are a patient’s brother, sister, or friend, and you have a heart for helping others, we want to hear from you.
What Our Members Have to Say
See why our members love the TAC
"I love TAC because we can share ideas freely and collaborate to make the hospital a better and more fun place for the kids at Nemours."
— Prashi, age 16
“I like that it is once a month because I am pretty busy. Even with it being once a month, I like how much we are able to plan and get done!”
— Josh, age 17
“I was an original [YAC] member until I got sick and found out what it was like to be a patient firsthand. I’d like to tell new patients that it’s hard to be in the hospital, but there are many people, including the YAC, who are doing everything they can to make it easier.”
— Jillian, age 13
Become a Member
- Using your voice is sometimes the most empowering way to cope with your health care experience. If you want to meet engaged, active teens who are united with a common goal to improve Nemours patient services, please join us.
- Get involved with the Teen Advisory Council (TAC). Apply to become a member.
Nominate a Patient
- Staff can nominate a Nemours patient to be part of TAC. Nominate a patient.
Teen Advisory Council leaders comprise of members from several hospital wide disciplines including: Child life, Social Work and Physicians. Please email us at TAC@nemours.org with any questions you may have.
Joelle Arrante, MS, CCLS
joelle.arrante@nemours.org
Co-Chair of TAC.
Maddy Velazquez, CCLS
madeline.velazquez@nemours.org
Co-Chair of TAC