ALS Parenting At a Challenging Time (PACT) Program

Consistent with the family-based approach at the Healey Center for ALS, the ALS PACT Program aims to support parents and their co-parents. A child psychologist or psychiatrist meets privately with parents to understand their children’s (infants through young adults) unique strengths and needs to provide developmental guidance and support. We recognize that parents are experts on their own children and families. We work collaboratively with parents and the ALS care team to help them anticipate what to expect in terms of their children’s ongoing adjustment, how to plan communication around a parent’s medical condition, when to feel comfortable with a child’s coping, and when to consider additional resources or interventions. This service is available at no charge to patients receiving care at the Healey Center for ALS. We work with patients through in-person, phone, or virtual appointments.

The ALS PACT Program is based on the successful PACT Program at the Mass General Cancer Center.