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Randi Streisand

Randi Streisand, Ph.D., appointed Chief of Psychology and Behavioral Health at Children’s National Health System

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Randi Streisand

Children’s National Health System announces that Randi Streisand, Ph.D., will become the chief of Psychology and Behavioral Health within the Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Streisand is a behavioral scientist, child health researcher and certified diabetes educator. She is a tenured professor of Psychology and Behavioral Health, and Pediatrics at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and serves as the director of Psychology Research for Children’s National Health System.

“Dr. Streisand’s acceptance of this leadership position will play an integral role in our approach to improve research methods and providing comprehensive approaches to psychological treatments” says Roger J. Packer, M.D., senior vice president of the Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine.

As chief, Dr. Streisand will lead our team of nationally recognized educators, research leaders and specialists who are experts in the care of children and teens with emotional and behavioral disorders. She will also continue to lead an extensive research portfolio, focusing on parent-child adjustment to chronic disease, behavioral interventions to prevent and control disease and treatment complications and adherence to pediatric medical regimens.

Before joining the faculty at Children’s National in 2000, Dr. Streisand received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Florida, completed her internship at Brown University and a fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has written numerous publications in the areas of child health and serves on several grant review committees through Children’s National, NIH and the American Diabetes Association. At Children’s National, she is an active participant in the psychology training program, and mentors undergraduates, graduate students, interns, fellows and junior faculty members.

Maureen Monaghan

Using text messages and telemedicine to improve diabetes self-management

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Maureen Monaghan

Maureen Monaghan, Ph.D., C.D.E., clinical psychologist and certified diabetes educator in the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program at Children’s National Health System, awarded nearly $1.6 million grant from American Diabetes Association.

Adolescents and young adults ages 17-22 with Type 1 diabetes are at high risk for negative health outcomes. If fact, some studies show that less than 20 percent of patients in this population meet targets for glycemic control, and visits to the Emergency Department for acute complications like diabetic ketoacidosis peak around the same age.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) awarded Maureen Monaghan, Ph.D., C.D.E., clinical psychologist and certified diabetes educator in the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program at Children’s National Health System, nearly $1.6 million to evaluate an innovative behavioral intervention to improve patient-provider communication, teach and help patients maintain self-care and self-advocacy skills and ultimately prepare young adults for transition into adult diabetes care, limiting the negative adverse outcomes that are commonly seen in adulthood.

Dr. Monaghan is the first psychologist funded through the ADA’s Pathway to Stop Diabetes program, which awards six annual research grants designed to spur breakthroughs in fundamental diabetes science, technology, diabetes care and potential cures. Dr. Monaghan received the Accelerator Award, given to diabetes researchers early in their careers, which will assist her in leading a behavioral science project titled, “Improving Health Communication During the Transition from Pediatric to Adult Diabetes Care.”

“Behavior is such a key component in diabetes care, and it’s wonderful that the American Diabetes Association is invested in promoting healthy behaviors,” says Dr. Monaghan. “I’m excited to address psychosocial complications of diabetes and take a closer look at how supporting positive health behavior during adolescence and young adulthood can lead to a reduction in medical complications down the road.”

During the five year study, Dr. Monaghan will recruit patients ages 17-22 and follow their care at Children’s National through their first visit with an adult endocrinologist. Her team will assess participants’ ability to communicate with providers, including their willingness to disclose diabetes-related concerns, share potentially risky behaviors like drinking alcohol and take proactive steps to monitor and regularly review glucose data.

“The period of transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care represents a particularly risky time. Patients are going through major life changes, such as starting new jobs, attending college, moving out of their parents’ homes and ultimately managing care more independently,” says Dr. Monaghan. “Behavioral intervention can be effective at any age, but we are hopeful that we can substantially help youth during this time of transition when they are losing many of their safety nets.”

Study leaders will help participants download glucose device management tools onto their smartphones and explain how to upload information from patients’ diabetes devices into the system. Participants will then learn how to review the data and quickly spot issues for intervention or follow-up with their health care provider.

Patients also will participate in behavioral telemedicine visits from the convenience of their own homes, and receive text messages giving them reminders about self-care and educational information, such as “Going out with your friends tonight? Make sure you check your glucose level before you drive.”

At the study’s conclusion, Dr. Monaghan anticipates seeing improvements in psychosocial indicators, mood and transition readiness, as well as improved diabetes self-management and engagement in adult medicine.