The mission of the Children’s Advocacy Project for Kids (CAP4Kids) is to help bridge the gap between the many quality social service agencies in the community and the families that need their help the most. To bridge this gap, we aim to empower and inform those that care for children.
In 2010, Children’s Practicing Pediatricians (CPP) teamed up with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to bring the CAP4Kids website to Columbus. CAP4Kids represents a joint effort between community physicians, hospital physicians and the social work department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. We have a team of physicians, social workers and administrators who are strongly dedicated to children’s advocacy. CAP4Kids is part of a national project that started in Philiadelphia in 2004.
CAP4Kids is a website that lists community resources. Parent handouts are the backbone of this project. They are broken down by category under “Parent Resources”. Within each handout, you will find a helpful description of organizations, addresses, phone numbers and website links. Print a parent handout by selecting the category or subcategory and then clicking on “print this page” at the top or bottom (if in a language other than English). Have a question or can’t find what you are looking for? E-mail us at CAP4KidsColumbus@nationwidechildrens.org
Frank Combs, MBA
Frank Combs serves as Executive Director of Children’s Practicing Pediatricians (CPP). CPP supports community pediatricians in the Section of General Pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital through advocacy and education. Frank finds great satisfaction in developing strategic relationships that advance the mission of CAP4Kids and ultimately benefit children and families. He is actively involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the National and State Medical Group Management Associations (MGMA).
Rachel Dumke, BA
Rachel Dumke serves as the Resource Coordinator for CAP4Kids Columbus. She holds degrees in Biology and Psychology from Capital University, where she first became involved in community organizing. Prior to joining the CAP4Kids team, Rachel served families as a Patient Care Assistant & Mental Health Specialist in Psychiatry at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. She spends time advocating for the needs of foster care alum and adoptees through her work as Co-Founder of Encompass Adoptees and Transracial Journeys Counselor. Rachel is passionate about serving children, their families, and communities. Her special interests include holistic mental wellness, trauma-informed care, equity and inclusion, and improving access to quality care.
Emily Decker, MD
Dr. Emily is a pediatrician in the Primary Care Clinics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and also Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from OSU and completed her pediatric residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Dr. Emily has served on medical missions in Thailand and Zambia and is the recipient of several awards, including the Ohio AAP Outstanding Committee Chair Award for the Section on Young Physicians & Residents. Dr. Emily is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a member of the AOA Medical Honor Society. Her passion is connecting families in need with the resources they need most, advocating for immigrant families and kids with special needs.
Christina Drakulich, BS
Christina serves as the Practice Administrator with Children’s Practicing Pediatricians (CPP). Prior to her position with CPP, Christina worked for Nationwide Children’s Hospital for thirteen years in Physician Relations. Christina graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She is passionate about children’s health and their access to quality healthcare and support services.
Gracie Fryer
Gracie serves as the CAP4Kids Social Media Manager. She promotes helpful and family-friendly resources across two platforms (Facebook & Twitter). She lends a helping hand to families in the Columbus community through her outreach efforts and community education. She is currently enrolled in Capital University and earing her Bachelor of Arts in Marketing & PR. She is a member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha Academic Honors Society.
Darryl Robbins, DO
Dr. Robbins is a 1971 graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed an internship program at Doctors Hospital in Columbus and a three year pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, where he received the first Annual Samuel Dalinsky Memorial Award for outstanding graduating pediatric resident. Dr. Robbins is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Robbins has been active in the pediatric community, including serving as president of the Central Ohio Pediatric Society and president of the medical staff at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He has been the recipient of several teaching awards, including the Pediatrician of the Year Award. He is also the president of Children’s Practicing Pediatricians (CPP).
Dan Taylor, DO
Dr. Dan is a pediatrician at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia and a Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Drexel University College of Medicine. Dan was the original founder of CAP4Kids in Philadelphia and early on realized that there are many communities nationally that could utilize CAP4Kids sites as well. Dan, and the rest of the CAP4Kids city administrators, have a deep commitment to the care of vulnerable children, families and the communities that support them.
Jervis Thompson, BS
Jervis is a faculty member in the Department of Media Arts, Digital Media Program at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Jervis teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Interactivity and Multimedia. Before teaching at Drexel University, Jervis served as a Master Technical Training Instructor with Secret Clearance for the United States Air Force. He helped start CAP4Kids and has been an integral part in building and transforming the CAp4Kids website, so families can access resources easily.
A survey conducted in 2011 showed that the vast majority of CAP4Kids users experienced improved knowledge regarding child care issues, time savings, enhanced access to resources and improved patient satisfaction. Read more about the CAP4Kids survey.
CAP4Kids Survey
You must first find a person or team that will be the beacon to get this invaluable project started. Dr. Daniel Taylor at St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia started CAP4Kids, a national advocacy project. Contact Dr. Taylor for assistance in launching a CAP4Kids site in your city at dtaylor01@drexelmed.edu.
Listen to our recent podcast about how we started, what we do, and where we are going!
