Kosair Charities provides $1 million to UofL for children’s health care programs

The University of Louisville has received $1 million from Kosair Charities to support four health-related programs designed to benefit our most precious gift, our children.

The largest portion of funds will support the Department of Pediatrics’ Forensics Medicine team who work to identify, evaluate, document and prevent child abuse and neglect. Other programs supported include the UofL Autism Center at Kosair Charities, the Kosair Charities Pediatric Clinical Research Unit and the Division of Child Neurology.

“For decades, Kosair Charities has been an unwavering supporter of our efforts to make the lives of our children better,” said Gregory Postel, M., interim president of the University of Louisville. “Our partnership with Kosair Charities continues to bring about new knowledge and enables that knowledge to be put into practical use. This commitment of support is critical to our ability to recruit and retain high-quality faculty and staff.”

Through the years, Kosair has provided more than $30 million in philanthropic support to the university in its efforts to provide the highest quality health care possible to children.

“The services that UofL provides to the children of Kentucky and beyond are invaluable,” said Jerry Ward, chairman of the Kosair Charities Board of Directors. “The faculty and staff have an unending desire to make the lives of children better. It is a privilege to partner with such an organization.”

The Kosair Charities Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine at UofL was the first pediatric physical abuse and neglect assessment program established in Kentucky. The formal consultation service provides medical expertise on the diagnosis, documentation and follow-up of suspected cases of child physical abuse and neglect.

The University of Louisville Autism Center at Kosair Charities is committed to building a collaborative partnership among the area’s leading autism resources. Incorporating services from the Bingham Clinic, the Weisskopf Child Evaluation Center and the Kentucky Autism Training Center, this center furthers each partner’s mission to provide evaluation and evidence-based treatment and interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. In addition, the Center promotes clinical research in ASD and provides training for caregivers and educators working with children with ASD. The UofL Autism Center also collaborates with community agencies to build a statewide network for the development of regional centers across Kentucky.

The Kosair Charities Pediatric Clinical Research Unit (KCPCRU) is the region’s first state-of-the-art clinical facility dedicated solely to conducting inpatient and outpatient pediatric clinical pharmacology studies. The primary mission of the KCPCRU, which opened in May 2002, is threefold: research (clinical and translational), clinical service and education/training. More than 1,000 subjects have been enrolled in clinical trials since 2002.

The Division of Child Neurology in the UofL Department of Neurology provides comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for infants and children with disorders of the nervous system.