Horizon Health Emergency Department Pursues Pediatric Care Designation

For Immediate Release – February 12, 2026

(Paris, IL)—The Horizon Health Emergency Department is taking important steps to strengthen the care it provides for children.

Over the past three years, the department has been working toward a higher level of pediatric care through the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Pediatric Facility Recognition Program, which helps ensure emergency departments have the training, equipment, and systems needed to care for children in medical emergencies.

“Like adults, children deserve access to the highest-quality healthcare possible,” said Jay Carmichael, Horizon Health President & CEO. “Our Emergency Department has done an excellent job enhancing the care we provide for children in our rural communities. Pursuing this recognition demonstrates our commitment to excellence for every patient we serve.”

The recognition program aligns with the National Pediatric Readiness Project, which reports that hospitals with high levels of pediatric readiness experience a 76% reduction in child mortality, saving more than 2,100 lives nationwide each year.

“Our goal is to show the community that we are highly trained, capable, and specially recognized in caring for sick children,” said Samantha McCarty, Horizon Health Director of Emergency Services. “We’re already doing most of what’s needed for this recognition and are about 80% of the way there.”

Pediatric readiness initiatives already in place at Horizon Health include physicians who are board-certified in emergency medicine, staff trained in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and a pediatric crash cart stocked with life-saving equipment and medications. The Emergency Department meets regularly with regional hospital partners and engages in joint quality improvement activities.

Currently, just over half of Illinois emergency departments have achieved some level of pediatric readiness recognition, with higher-level pediatric centers primarily concentrated in northern Illinois.

“We want to expand beyond a general emergency department to provide specialized pediatric care,” said McCarty. “Children have unique needs that require specific expertise in emergency situations, yet not all have access to specialized care.”

The Horizon Health Emergency Department treats about 1,200 pediatric patients annually. With the nearest pediatric critical care facility over an hour away, local families rely on Horizon Health for timely stabilization and emergency care, McCarty explained. The department’s capacity to provide prolonged care for critically ill children is especially important when they await transfer.

McCarty anticipates that Horizon Health will achieve designation as a Standby Emergency Department for Pediatrics (SEDP), one of three pediatric recognition levels established by the Illinois Department of Public Health. SEDP facilities are equipped to provide initial stabilization for pediatric patients and maintain transfer agreements with higher-level pediatric centers when specialized care is required.

Grant Funding

Horizon Health has secured a $10,000 grant through the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) to support its efforts to achieve pediatric readiness recognition. With support from the Horizon Health Foundation, the grant was awarded following completion of the hospital’s two-year emergency department renovation project in late 2025, which included the addition of a pediatric-friendly treatment room.

Grant funding will be used to enhance pediatric emergency preparedness through advanced staff education and training beyond standard Pediatric Advanced Life Support coursework. Funds will also support the purchase of pediatric-specific supplies and simulation equipment, including portable pediatric manikins and airway task trainers.