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CKSN Update for June 15, 2004 |
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CKSN UPDATE for June 15, 2004 ABC for Health, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Case Tip: Continuously Eligible Newborns (CENS) Medicaid for Newborns for One Year
2. Practical Tips on Parent Involvement Publication Available from Washington State
3. Circles of Life Call for Proposals
4. Pediatrics Academy Urges School Based Mental Health Services
5. NAMI Reports on Children and Psychotropic Medication
6. Emergency Plans Need to Include Provisions for People with Disabilities
7. Autism Society of America Launches Spanish Section on Web Site
8. Picnic with ABC for Health on It’s Official Ten Year Birthday!
9. HealthWatch Contacts
10. Contact Us!
11. Where Will You Be on October 14?
1. CASE TIP: CONTINUOUSLY ELIGIBLE NEWBORNS (CENS)
MEDICAID FOR NEWBORNS FOR ONE YEAR
A baby born to a woman, who is on Medicaid with full benefits, is eligible for Medicaid for twelve months with no income or asset evaluation. This baby is referred to as a CEN – Continuously Eligible Newborn. The pregnant woman may be receiving Medicaid through Healthy Start, SSI, Katie Beckett or various other full Medicaid programs.
If a pregnant woman were not on Medicaid when the baby was born, she may still apply for Medicaid up to three months after the baby’s birth by backdating her application to when she was pregnant. The baby will be considered born to a mom on Medicaid and the baby will be eligible for Medicaid to the end of the twelfth month of age as a CEN.
The income guidelines are very generous for pregnant women and include the Deductible feature. The Deductible subtracts health insurance premiums and family health care bills from the family income until the income falls within the income eligibility limits.
The CEN Medicaid Program is especially valuable for families who have a newborn with special health care needs and the family income will exceed the Medicaid income eligibility limits, perhaps if mom returns to work. Also please remember that any child under age five who is on Medicaid is eligible for WIC.
For more information on Continuously Eligible Newborns: http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/Medicaid1/recpubs/factsheets/phc10051.htm
2. PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT PUBLICATION FROM WASHINGTON STATE AVAILABLE
(Robin Mathea, from the Northern CSHCN Regional Center brought this publication to our attention)
The Washington State Department of Health, CSHCN section has an extensive list of publications available for free download on their website. Of particular note is the publication, Practical Tips: Involving Family Consultants in Program and Policy Development. This publication, and others, can be accessed at their website:
www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/mch/CSHCNhome2.htm
3. CIRCLES OF LIFE CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The Circles of Life (COL) planning committee is issuing a call for presentations. In the past, all presentations and speakers were decided by the COL Planning Committee. This year, the COL Planning Committee is looking forward to hearing from individuals and organizations that are new at presenting at Circles of Life, and reading proposals on new topic areas, or frequently-appearing topics presented with a new twist.
Please go to their web site to download further information on the Call for Presentations.
http://www.wfv.org/circle/2005index.html
4. PEDIATRICS ACADEMY URGES SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
More than 20 percent of children and adolescents have mental health problems, and school-based programs offer the promise of improving access to diagnosis and treatment of those problems, according to a position statement released this month by the Committee on School Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
http://www.healthinschools.org/2004/jun04_alert.asp
5. NAMI REPORTS ON CHILDREN AND PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION
Although it took no position on recent studies that have questioned whether medication or psychotherapy is better for treating children with mental illness, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) warned that the greatest risk for children and adolescents with mental illness is to do nothing. See: http://www.healthinschools.org/2004/jun09_alert.asp
The NAMI Policy Research Institute Task Force report, "Children and Psychotropic Medication," is available online at www.nami.org/kidsmeds
6. EMERGENCY PLANS NEED TO INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
(From the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) http://www.healthinschools.org)
Emergency plans need to include provisions for students with disabilities, such as learning and developmental disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, and physical limitations. Attention is also needed for students with limited English proficiency to make sure they understand the emergency procedures.
Things to consider in the planning process:
* Identify alternative evaluation routes and shelter for students with mobility problems
* Develop a communication system for the visual and hearing impaired
* Assign a buddy for each student with a disability
* Communicate with all students using a common vocabulary
* Train staff in procedures to assist students with disabilities For more information on emergency preparedness and students with special needs, visit
http://www.nasponline.org/NEAT/specpop_general.html
http://www.access-board.gov/evac.htm
http://www.nod.org/pdffiles/epiguide2004.pdf
7. AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA LAUNCHES SPANISH SECTION ON WEB SITE
The Autism Society of America (ASA) recently announced the launch of a Spanish-language section on its award-winning Web site, responding to the ever-growing needs of the Hispanic community to deliver bi-lingual information on autism spectrum disorders. The new Spanish section, which is accessible through the main Web page, features 18 different links to information about understanding autism; an autism checklist on common characteristics of the disorder; tips for parents on coping with a child's diagnosis and living with autism across the lifespan; a variety of treatment options and educational approaches and programs to help a child with autism such as developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); and information on Federal programs, to name a few. Available at http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Autismo
8. PICNIC WITH ABC FOR HEALTH ON ITS OFFICIAL TEN YEAR BIRTHDAY!
Please join us at Burroughs Park on Sherman Avenue in Madison, from noon to 5:00 on July 1, 2004! Lunch is on us—we’ll be firing up the grill for brats and burgers. Or just stop by for cake and a round of croquet or ultimate Frisbee. Please RSVP by June 25, 2004 by emailing maureenf@safetyweb.org. We hope to see you there!
9. HEALTHWATCH CONTACTS
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
10. SUGGESTIONS OR TIPS FOR THE UPDATE? CONTACT US!
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.
11. WHERE WILL YOU BE ON OCTOBER 14?
Save the date! ABC for Health will celebrate 10 years of advocacy and legal services on Thursday evening October 14, at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union in Madison Please join us to celebrate our 10th anniversary as Wisconsin’s premier public interest law firm dedicated to helping families secure adequate health care coverage and services! Watch for more information on this event in the near future.
ABC for Health is a Wisconsin-based, nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to linking children and families, particularly those with special health care needs, to health care benefits and services. ABC for Health’s mission is to provide information, advocacy tools, legal services and expert support needed to obtain, maintain and finance health care coverage and services.
Barbara Katz, moderator
Parent Consultant
ABC for Health, Inc.
608.261.6939 ext. 207
barbk@safetyweb.org