Arlington, Virginia, April 29, 2021 – The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) announces five new clinics that met 10 standards identified as best practices to care for people with Spina Bifida. These clinics have dedicated health care professionals who partner with people living with Spina Bifida and their families to provide expert care and help identify research priorities.

With the addition of the five new Clinic Care Partners, 37 Clinics across the country have met the standards. Care Partners collaborate with other providers and SBA and share ideas with a national network of providers. During this four-year partnership, partners will implement best practices that help ensure people with Spina Bifida receive the best care possible to have fulfilling lives.

“We are excited that so many clinics have met the 10 standards, demonstrating their dedication to improving the lives of people living with Spina Bifida,” explained Judy Thibadeau, RN, MN SBA’s Director of Research and Services.

The 2021 Clinic Care Partners are:

• Kaiser Northern California Regional Spina Bifida Program – Oakland, California
• Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center – Cincinnati, Ohio
• Oklahoma University Health Children’s Hospital – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Oregon Health and Science University – Portland, Oregon
• University of Texas Spina Bifida Clinic – Houston, Texas

The 2021 Clinic Care Partners will be acknowledged at this year’s Clinical Care Meeting, June 4 – 5, 2021.

These five clinics join the 2020 inaugural group of awardees. The complete list is below:

• Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
• Children’s of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
• Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
• Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
• Children’s Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
• Connecticut Children’s Hospital, Hartford Connecticut
• Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas
• District Medical Group, Phoenix, Arizona
• Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina
• Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, Saint Paul, Minnesota
• Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
• Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, California
• Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
• Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, Florida
• Penn State Health, Hershey, Pennsylvania
• Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix Arizona
• Primary Children’s Hospital-Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Riley Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Shriners Hospitals for Children- Northern California, Sacramento, California
• Stanford University, Stanford, California
• Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas
• Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas Texas
• The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
• UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, San Francisco, California
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• University of Wisconsin Health/ American Family Children’s Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin

Visit SBA’s website to see all Spina Bifida Clinics throughout the country. Those who are Clinic Care Partners are designated with an asterisk. Click here.

About the Spina Bifida Association: The mission of the Spina Bifida Association is to build a better and brighter future for all people impacted by Spina Bifida. The SBA achieves its mission through the work of volunteers—adults with Spina Bifida, family members and caregivers, and health care providers—throughout the nation. SBA touches thousands of people each year through research, clinical care, education and support, network building, and advocacy.

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