Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center

An Advanced Trauma Team for Kids

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital (MFCH) is an advanced, dedicated children’s hospital and Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center Accredited by the American College of Surgeons and New York State. As a Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center, we provide care for the full spectrum of pediatric traumatic injuries.

Providers Specially Trained In Pediatric Trauma Care

Our nursing staff is specialty trained in pediatric emergency care and trauma care. Our Pediatric Emergency Department is home to pediatric physicians with advanced training in emergency medicine and trauma care who are all board-certified/eligible in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. They provide care for all emergent conditions affecting children and teens, including pediatric trauma, stroke, seizures, brain injury, cardiac concerns, and other critical conditions requiring immediate medical attention. The Pediatric Trauma Service is led by specialty trained and board-certified attending pediatric surgeons who deliver the most up-to-date trauma care in the region to approximately 500 patients annually.

Specialized Expertise in Trauma Care

Neurosurgical Injuries
The Pediatric Neurosurgery Service at Maria Fareri provides care for the full spectrum of pediatric neurosurgical injuries. Modern techniques are used in an individualized, patient-oriented approach. All pediatric neurosurgical care is provided in a multidisciplinary fashion as part of other collaborative programs in children’s healthcare at MFCH.

Orthopaedic Injuries
The Orthopedic Surgeons at MFCH have specialized training in caring for all pediatric traumatic orthopedic injuries. They have all come to MFCH after developing experience at other renowned specialized centers, and work collaboratively with all other children’s services available at MFCH.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital is home to the region’s only advanced highest level, comprehensive Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The PICU is an 18-bed unit that provides care for medical and surgical patients requiring intensive care. The PICU treats patients of all ages from newborn to young adulthood. The PICU allows the Trauma team to work seamlessly with our Pediatric Intensivists to employ clinical expertise and new technologies in a compassionate arena where family-centered care is delivered. The breadth of pathology of admitted patients to the PICU includes all possible pediatric critical injuries and illnesses.

Our PICU attending physician staff is fellowship trained and board-certified/eligible in Pediatrics and the sub-specialty of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM). Attending intensive care pediatricians are on site 24 x 7 x 365. The PICU nursing staff has more than a 40-year history of pediatric critical care experience, and our dedicated respiratory therapy team has extensive experience dealing with pediatric patients that require respiratory support services.

Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy

During a stay at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, families may be visited by a member of Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy staff. This team helps families and children adjust to and understand hospitalization, illness, injury and treatment. Our staff includes board certified child life specialists, a board certified art therapist, and a board certified music therapist, all of whom are professionals with advanced training in areas related to working with children and families in medical settings. Their collective mission is to provide children and their families facing traumatic and complex healthcare challenges with clinical interventions of child life, art therapy and music therapy services that scientific study has shown accelerates healing and recovery processes.

As vital members of an advanced healthcare team, we aspire to advocate, respond, and focus on supportive services that address the emotional, social and psychological needs of the individual patient and their family. Our purpose is to foster understanding and coping, mastery and empowerment by using creative self-expressive mediums and developmentally, supportive therapeutic play opportunities to reduce the stress and anxiety related to illness, injury and hospitalization.

A Member of the Trauma Survivors Network

Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital supports the continuation of care for trauma patients and their families after discharge. We have joined the American Trauma Society’s Trauma Survivors Network to provide our patients and families with access to resources that meet the psychosocial needs of patients and their families following a traumatic event.

This support may include peer visitation programs, peer support groups and self-managed classes. The Peer Visitation Program connects trauma patients with volunteer trauma survivors who have experienced the aftermath of a serious injury. The peer support groups help trauma survivors connect with each other, while the Next Steps program helps patients take charge of their recovery and learn how to move forward. Many programs are also available online.

Visit our Trauma Survivors Network page.

Contact Us

In the event of an emergency, call 911.

Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
100 Woods Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
914.493.7000

Our Pediatric Trauma Team

Meet the extraordinary physicians and healthcare providers behind the region’s go-to pediatric trauma hospital.