Mission Statement
The mission of the SPARK Center is to help Boston's highest-risk children to build loving relationships, positive self-regard and community belonging. SPARK provides therapeutic, medically-specialized programs for children of all ages based on the philosophy that all children are resilient and able to take control of their futures. SPARK makes long-term investments in fragile children--helping them to believe in themselves, make healthy choices, cope with emotional problems, achieve in school, gain success as adults, and build brighter tomorrows.
Description
The SPARK (Supporting Parents and Resilient Kids) Center is a medically-specialized, therapeutic program operated under the auspices of the Department of Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center. The SPARK Center offers comprehensive, integrated, state-of-the-art services for children and families whose lives are affected by medical, emotional and/or behavioral challenges. The program serves Boston's highest-risk children--i.e., those living with complicated medical conditions as well as children who are involved with the Department of Children and Families due to significant family and social challenges.
With an emphasis on cultural enrichment and celebration of diversity, the SPARK Center thrives to continually transform its programs as children's needs change and evolve. The Center's service delivery model is designed to assist medically-compromised and at-risk children to overcome common barriers of poverty, culture, and stigma that often create obstacles to care. Services are designed to foster close collaborations with local medical providers, promote medical compliance, and improve access to other services in the communities that we serve.
Located in the heart of Boston's urban community, the SPARK Center serves more than 100 children annually. Not surprisingly, most of the children at the SPARK Center live in poverty, with parents and caregivers who struggle daily to maintain the integrity of their families. At SPARK, children learn the skills and values to succeed in school and to develop productive and rewarding adult lives. Additionally, the SPARK Center offers parents and other caregivers the support, guidance and compassionate understanding that promote strength and stability in their parenting responsibilities.
