Medical
Cathedral Home for Children maintains a medical support staff and supervision team to ensure the health and welfare of the residents. The team is headed by two local physicians: Kent Kleppinger M.D., a pediatrician and Mary Moreno M.D., a psychiatrist. The medical team also includes two nurses, a dietician, and a family nurse practitioner, as well as a medical services manager and a driver that transports kids to and from in-town appointments.
Medical Services Received Upon Arrival
All residents receive a physical exam within seven days of admission, and a dental and eye exam as soon as possible after admission. All exams are repeated annually thereafter, and are also given throughout the year when medically needed. Residents, and staff, receive TB skin testing upon admission/hiring and annually thereafter.
All residents are assessed by our psychiatrist, usually within 7 days of admission. Dr. Moreno is on campus one to two times weekly to provide ongoing care that is individualized for each resident. All psychiatric medications are prescribed and monitored by Dr. Moreno.
On-going Medical Care
A Registered Dietician visits campus weekly to complete intake nutritional assessments on all new residents, and provides continuing dietary education and support to residents with identified needs.
Dr. Kleppinger or Marci Newell, FNP, visit campus daily to perform physical exams and non-urgent sick child exams. All residents with urgent medical needs are treated at Laramie Pediatrics, or Ivinson Memorial Hospital.
The nurses provide acute (injuries, stomach upset, etc.) and chronic (diabetes, asthma, etc.) illness care, as well as on-going health education and preventative care. The nursing staff also ensures residents receive age appropriate immunizations. Nurses are on campus five days a week. We also have medical on-call available by pager twenty four hours a day, seven days a week for emergencies. .
If a resident is referred to a specialist, our agency provides transportation and any follow-up care. In the past, residents have received care from neurologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, dermatologists, orthopedics, OB/GYN, and general surgeons while at CHC.