The Kisner Foundation donates $50K to pediatric behavioral health and wellness program

The Children’s Hospital of Georgia is starting a new program focused on pediatric behavioral health care, launching with the help of a $50,000 donation from the Kisner Foundation. The organization presented the gift to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia on Monday, Dec. 7.

The Kisner Foundation’s contribution will help start the Children’s Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness program, which will address social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns in children and adolescents. This program will provide an interdisciplinary approach to Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness that will include collaboration with the Medical College of Georgia Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior and support from the existing Emily S. Baumann Children and Adolescent Psychotherapy Fund.

“Augusta University Health and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia are grateful for this partnership with the Kisner Foundation,” said Katrina Keefer, chief executive officer for the Augusta University Health System and executive vice president for health affairs at Augusta University. “Their generous donation will jumpstart the development of the Children’s Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness as we seek to provide the most advanced and comprehensive mental health assessment and treatment options for infants, children and adolescents — and all children who call Georgia home.”

Dr. Valera Hudson, pediatrician-in-chief at Children’s and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, shared similar sentiments.

“We diagnose and treat children and adolescents with a variety of problems such as depression, anxiety, attention deficits, and other behavioral problems,” said Hudson. “As we see indicators of growing mental health struggles in children, the ongoing support from the Kisner Foundation will help us expand these service offerings within our inpatient and outpatient settings to improve the mental and emotional health of children and adolescents across Georgia.”

The Kisner Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by Aiken, South Carolina, native and PGA Tour golfer Kevin Kisner and his wife, Brittany. The foundation is committed to providing charitable funding through their three main pillars: education, health, and sports. Their vision is that all children have the opportunities and resources to develop into responsible adults with a bright future.

“Brittany and I are honored for our foundation to partner with Children’s and support the development of this much needed behavioral health and wellness clinic,” said Kevin Kisner. “We know that this program will fill a major void in our area and provide comprehensive care and resources to children with developmental, emotional and behavioral concerns.”

“So many families and children in our area have faced extremely long wait times for referrals due to a shortage of mental health providers and developmental pediatricians,” Brittany Kisner added. “Families are frustrated and children are falling through the cracks without receiving any services. This integrative behavioral health clinic will provide evaluation and establish a treatment plan and a path forward for these children.”

Since 2016, the Kisner Foundation has awarded over $400,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations across the Augusta area. Learn more about the Kisner Foundation.

If you would like to support the CHOG Fund for Pediatric Behavioral Health or any initiative at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, please contact Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement at 706-721-4001.

The 154-bed not-for-profit Children’s Hospital of Georgia is Augusta’s only children’s hospital, providing the highest level of neonatal and pediatric intensive care, as well as a wide range of general and complex health care for children. Children’s Hospital of Georgia was recently ranked the highest performing hospital in pediatric quality and safety among more than 100 of the nation’s leading academic medical centers.