Creating Healthy Futures: an innovative nurse-managed transition clinic for adolescents and young adults with special health care needs

The Creating Healthy Futures (CHF) clinic is an innovative, nurse-managed service model that provides comprehensive transition services to youth and young adults with special health care needs. Unlike other transition service models reported in the literature that are medically based, comprehensive transition services were coordinated by a family nurse practitioner who worked in close collaboration with an interagency team of pediatric and adult service providers. The Creating Healthy Futures (CHF) service model was originally developed for use in educational settings but was adapted for use in health care settings. The components of the service model are described in detail as a model for replication in other health care settings.