McGowan Consultants is a Georgia based consulting firm specializing in training, evaluation, publications and technical assistance to organizations serving individuals with complex developmental disabilities, mental retardation and challenging health problems. Since 1977, the organization has focused on preparing clinicians, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, programmatic and resident staff and families to identify and remove or reduce health barriers to human development and community participation for persons identified as medically fragile.

McGowan Consultants has assisted in the development and implementation of transition strategies to protect the health and welfare of medically fragile persons in their move from congregate care settings to less restrictive environments in both the United States and Canada. In connection with class action litigation in many states, such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, New York, Louisiana and Massachusetts, McGowan Consultants staff has provided extensive technical assistance to various state mental retardation and Developmental Disability (DD) organizations to assist them in meeting the requirements of court orders and/or consent decrees.

The firm also designs instruments that evaluate and quantify the health fragility of certain populations with long-term health problems, such as individuals who are elderly, or who have physical or developmental disabilities. McGowan Consultants has developed and published these screening and assessment instruments to assist in determining the level of medical fragility for vulnerable persons and to facilitate the development of practical surveillance strategies in both community and congregate care settings. These systems allow persons to live, work and play in integrated community systems with safeguards to health and safety provided as necessary. The HEALTH RISK SCREENING TOOL and the KMG FRAGILITY SCALE are examples of such mechanisms developed.

McGowan Consultants is a certified provider of continuing education for nurses. Twelve courses are currently available via home study and structured training activities that are specifically designed for health care practitioners working with persons with complex disabilities. The firm has designed curricula for Health and Safety and Medication Administration for Unlicensed Staff training for a number of states, including Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

McGowan Consultants draws from a pool of some 30 clinical consultants on a contractual basis to assist in the implementation of specific projects. These are individuals, such as physicians, nurses and therapists, who are highly regarded in their fields and who have extensive experience, particularly in Developmental Disabilities. The firm also publishes a number of trainee and instructor manuals that support its various training and technical support activities.

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