Estimates of children with special health care needs with at least one chronic
condition range from 5 percent to more than 30 percent.
(15)
Approximately 6 to 15 percent of children with special health care
needs in Florida are served within exceptional education programs. Of 2,500,161
students in 2001, 15 percent (376,074) had a special need, not counting gifted
students. The number becomes 205,658 (8 percent) when those with specific learning
disabilities are not counted, and 6 percent (150,142) if those with speech
impairment are not included. The figure below gives the array of educational s
ervices that are available to children with special needs. When youth and young
adults with special health care and educational needs leave school, there are few
services available to aid them transition into jobs, independent living or health
care.
Florida 2010 Strategic Objectives
for Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs
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Objective 1.
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Develop strategies that will promote ongoing comprehensive care within a medical
home for all CSHCN
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Objective 2.
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Review the variety of reimbursement mechanisms that impact CSHCN and develop
strategies for all families of CSHCN to have adequate private and/or public
insurance to pay for the services they need
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Objective 3.
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Screen newborns and all children early and continuously for special health care
needs, in order to prevent secondary conditions associated with birth defects and
injury in CSHCN children (incorporating EPSDT into the medical home concept)
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Objective 4.
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Organize services for CSHCN and their families in ways that families can use them
easily
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Objective 5.
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Develop strategies that allow families of CSHCN, as the ultimate decision-makers for
their children, to make informed decisions, participate in decision making at all
levels and to be satisfied with the services they receive
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Objective 6.
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Ensure that youth with special health care needs receive the services necessary to
transition to all aspects of adulthood, including from pediatric to adult health
care, from school to employment and to independence. This would include the
development of a youth advisory board and services to connect CSHCN adolescents when
they go out-of-state for school
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Objective 7.
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Develop physician ability to help families with CSHCN in the transition years
between school and adulthood maintain a medical home
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Objective 8.
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Move toward an expanded state definition of children with special health care needs
in keeping with the federal definition
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Objective 9.
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Improve the identification of 0 to 1-year-olds in need of Early Intervention
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Objective 10.
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Increase Medicaid reimbursement for CSHCN to reflect the time and expertise
required to serve children with CSHCN
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Objective 11.
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Develop information on the prevalence of CSHCN in Florida
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Objective 12.
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Improve Medical Home Physicians identification and referral for at risk
conditions
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Objective 13.
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Develop strategies that will promote a medical home for all uninsured CSHCN
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Objective 14.
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Provide greater/active surveillance for birth defects and CSHCN
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Objective 15.
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Develop strategies for all CSHCN to have a medical home that includes a
continuing care provider for behavioral health that collaborates with the primary
care provider
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Objective 16.
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Coordinate among agencies on services, appointments, and transportation
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Objective 17.
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Develop flexible family driven funding opportunities for families so that
services can respond to the specific practical needs of a family with a child with
special health care needs
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Objective 18.
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Develop solutions for rural CSHCN to travel to see the specialists they need
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Objective 19.
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Ensure appropriate utilization and access to dental health services for CSHCN
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