CKSN UPDATE for October 15, 2003		ABC for Health, Inc.

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Case Tip:  NHELP as a Resource
2. Case Tip:  Income Verification of Self-Employed Families Applying for Medicaid
3. Mental Health Study
4. Transition Resource
5. Financing Health Care for Women with Disabilities
6. Senator Feingold Listening Sessions
7. HealthWatch Updates

1. CASE TIP:  NHELP AS A RESOURCE

Many times Medicaid issues become complex quickly and a parent is left trying not only to take care of the health problems of a child but also decipher complex federal and state regulations.  An excellent resource for parents is the National Health Law Program or NHelp.  The website for this non-profit organization provides many useful tools for a parent as they navigate Health Law issues.  Updates, summaries and case dockets of cutting edge litigation are only a few of the valuable tools to find on this site.  For more information visit: www.healthlaw.org


2. CASE TIP:  INCOME VERIFICATION OF SELF-EMPLOYED FAMILIES APPLYING FOR MEDICAID

The income of self-employed families applying for Medicaid (including Healthy Start and BadgerCare) is calculated from the latest federal income tax form d (1040) that the family has completed that represents the business as it presently exists.

The federal income tax forms can be lengthy and complicated, including a variety of businesses the family may operate as part of their self-employment.

When applying for Medicaid, the family may attach a copy of their federal income tax forms to their application.  You will need to refer the caseworker to these forms so they can conduct the necessary income calculations.  This strategy removes the responsibility from the complex task of calculating self-employment.  If you have questions about the end result, contact your worker or get some help from the staff at ABC for Health.


3. MENTAL HEALTH STUDY

(From John Reiss, jgr@ichp.edu)  States Differ in Mental Health Care Available to Children, Study Finds:  A study of mental health care needs and service use in 13 states found
that where a child lives may be as important as socio-economic
characteristics in determining whether a child or adolescent receives
needed mental health care.  http://www.healthinschools.org/2003/oct07_alert.asp

4. TRANSITION RESOURCE

(From John Reiss, jgr@ichp.edu) New Hampshire Family Voices puts out a great quarterly newsletter called "Pass It On".  While some of the information is specific to New Hampshire, there is much of interest to families with CSHCN from other states.  For example, the lead article for the current issue is entitled "Its Never Too Soon Planning for Your Child's Adulthood."  The Fall 2003 issue, in which the article appears, is now available on the Web at: http://www.nhfv.org/PASSITONEMAIL (Look in the bottom right hand corner of the page for the list to the Fall 2003 issue)

5. FINANCING HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

An estimated 27 million American women are living with disabilities that frequently prevent them from getting the most routine preventive and primary health care. The health care financing system explicitly reimburses for specialty care for a disabling condition, but it ignores the added equipment and staffing needed to provide appropriate general health care.  Summary and complete article: http://www.rand.org/publications/WP/WP139

6. SENATOR FEINGOLD LISTENING SESSIONS

Due to a change in his schedule, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold had to postpone his Listening Sessions in Langlade, Lincoln and Wood Counties scheduled for Thursday, October 9, 2003.  The Listening Sessions will be rescheduled for Tuesday, November 11, 2003 at the same locations and times.

The Langlade County session will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Ackley Town Hall, County HH and Highway 64, Ackley.

The Lincoln County session will be held at 12:45 p.m. at the Rock Falls Town Hall, corner of Rock Falls Drive and Eggert Drive, southwest of Irma.

The Wood County session will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Biron Municipal Center, 451 Kahoun Road, Biron.

Each session will last approximately one hour.

7. HEALTHWATCH UPDATES

Southeastern Region:  The CHASE group will hold their next meeting tomorrow, October 16, at 2 pm at the GAMP Auditorium at 9501 West Watertown Plank Road in Wauwatosa.

If you are interested in joining your regional HealthWatch committee, or want more information about their work, please contact the following people:

Southern Region:  Barbara Katz, ABC for Health, Inc., 608.261.6939 ext 207, barbk@safetyweb.org
Southeastern Region:  Brad Holman, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, 414.266.3189,
bholman@chw.org or Brad Montgomery, 414.449.4777, opwindows@aol.com
Northern Region:  Deb Blackstone, Family Resource Connection, 715.365.8030,
dblacks@shsmh.org
Northeastern Region:  Steve Gerczak, St. Vincent Hospital, 920.433.8154,
sgerczak@stvgb.org
Western Region:  Rose Marsh, Chippewa County Dept of Public Health, 1-800-400-3678, rmarsh@co.chippewa.wi.us


SUGGESTIONS OR TIPS FOR THE UPDATE?

We need your help to develop content and tips for our CKSN Update. Please let us know about your ideas or success stories.  Email your suggestions to barbk@safetyweb.org 

The CKSN Update is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter of the Covering Kids with Special Needs project that ABC for Health, Inc. is implementing with its partners, the Title V Children with Special Needs Regional Centers and Family Voices - Wisconsin.  If you would like to submit news and information in future CKSN Updates, please send it to the attention of Barbara Katz.  All submissions should be limited to 150 words.

Barbara Katz, moderator
Parent Consultant
ABC for Health, Inc.
608.261.6939 ext. 207
barbk@safetyweb.org