Children with Special Health Care Needs Program

Autism Grant: The Children with Special Health Care Needs program has been awarded a three year, $900,000 competitive state autism awareness implementation grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services. "Autism Awareness: Partnership for Change" is funded from September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2011. The intent of this project is to raise awareness on the importance of early screening and diagnosis and improve access to quality, community-based systems of health care and services for children with autism spectrum disorder. For more information, please visit the Department of Health Autism Awareness Project web page.

Epilepsia en Washington: Improving Access to Care for Children and Youth. The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program has been awarded a three year federal grant to focus on improving a community-based system of services for children and youth with epilepsy, beginning with medically underserved and rural areas of central Washington where there is a significant Hispanic population. Epilepsy is a challenging condition that affects from 6,100 to 15,000 children in Washington. It can seriously affect their lives by causing severe seizures, injuries, lifestyle restrictions, stigma, and depression, all contributing to a poor quality of life. Children with epilepsy who live in rural, under-served areas of Washington and who speak a language other than English have even more difficulty managing their epilepsy because they have less access to the range of needed health care services. The grant will focus on five distinct groups within these communities: parents of children with epilepsy, youth with epilepsy, primary care providers, specialty care providers, and care coordinators for children with special health care needs. Activities will include organizing focus groups, parent trainings, youth advisory groups, learning collaboratives for providers, and multidisciplinary committees. The grant activities will be accomplished in partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation Northwest, parent organizations, local health departments, community health centers, specialty and community-based providers, and public schools. The grant will run from September 2007 through August 2010. Link to the Epilepsy web page.

Washington Integrated Services Enhancement Grant (WISE for CSHCN): The Washington Integrated Services Enhancement Grant was a federally funded four year grant (6/01/01-5/31/05) to improve statewide systems for children with special needs and their families. The four goals of the grant were: Care Coordination, Common Enrollment or Application, Blended Funding, and Integrated Data. Link to the WISE web page.

Medical Home Leadership Network: The Medical Home concept is promoted through a contract with the University of Washington. A Medical Home is an approach to providing health care in a high-quality and cost-effective manner through a partnership between families and providers. Children receive the care they need from a pediatrician and other health care professionals and are able to access all the medical and non-medical services needed to help them achieve their maximum potential. The Medical Home Leadership Network at the University of Washington, together with the Children with Special Health Care Needs Program, is working to create more medical homes for children in Washington.

Provider Education: The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program staff provides and supports training and technical assistance to providers. The Program collaborates with local health jurisdictions, pediatric specialty hospitals, managed care plans, Medicaid, the Infant Toddler Early Intervention program, universities, and others to assure appropriate and adequate training opportunities for a variety of providers.

Children with Special Health Care Needs Assessment: This Assessment involves a systematic approach to developing and using data about children with special health care needs to improve statewide services. The approach includes determining prevalence and identifying needs of the population. It also promotes inclusion in community assessments, program planning and family leadership activities.

Birth Defects Surveillance: The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program participates in birth defects surveillance to monitor trends and respond to public concerns.

Nutrition Services: The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program contracts with the University of Washington Center on Human Development and Disability to support a statewide network of community-based nutritionists who provide nutrition services to children with special health care needs.

Feeding Team Services: The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program contracts with the University of Washington Center on Human Development and Disability to support a statewide network of community-based, interagency, interdisciplinary feeding teams that provide feeding assessment and follow-up services to children with special health care needs.

Adolescent Health Transition Project: The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program contracts with the University of Washington Division of Adolescent Medicine and the Adolescent Health Transition Project to provide education and information through a variety of media and forums on health and life transitions for youth with special needs.

Family Leadership: The Children with Special Health Care Needs Program is committed to involving families of children and youth with special health care needs as decision-makers in program planning and policy development. We strive to ensure that families are provided with services and supports that are integrated, family-centered, and culturally competent. The program has a full time Family Consultant who takes a lead role in identifying and developing opportunities for families to become involved at the level where they are most comfortable.

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Page last updated: 08/24/2009