CKSN UPDATE for September 1, 2004                  ABC for Health, Inc.

WHERE WILL YOU BE ON OCTOBER 14????

Please join ABC for Health in Celebrating its 10th Anniversary at Memorial Union on 
Thursday evening October 14, from 5:30 until 10 pm at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union in Madison.   The evening features music by The Kissers, complimentary hors d’oeuvers and beverages, and a silent auction.  Tickets are $60 per person, with $40 of that tax deductible.  Please contact Maureen Fitzgerald for more information:
maureenf@safetyweb.org

IN THIS ISSUE: 

1.     	Case Tip:  Children under 19 who are Badgercare and Healthy Start Eligible
2.	Correction for Past Case Tip
3.	Health Information for Teens with Chronic Health Conditions
4.	Health History Summary for Teens Available
5.	Publications on Oral Health and Developmental Disabilities Available
6.	HealthWatch Updates and Contacts
7.	Suggestions for the Update?  Contact Us!
8.	ABC for Health Silent Auction Preview
________________________________________________________________________
1.      CASE TIP:  CHILDREN UNDER 19 WHO ARE BADGERCARE AND HEALTHY START ELIGIBLE

I am a single parent and my 14 year old daughter requires on going treatment for a chronic kidney condition.  We are on BadgerCare and I recently had a review interview with my Economic Support Specialist. This month I received a notice from the county department of human services that I am still eligible for BadgerCare, but my daughter is not. What happened?  

Medicaid has many different pathways to eligibility and sometimes, due to income or age factors, you or a family member may switch (known as the cascade by your ES worker) between different eligibility categories.  For starters, BadgerCare is a Medicaid program for families with children under the age of 19.  The gross monthly income limit for BadgerCare eligibility for a family of two is $1,925 after allowable deductions.  Healthy Start is a Medicaid program for pregnant women and children under the age of 19.  Just to make it more confusing, there are different Healthy Start income limits for children under the age of six and for children between six and 19 years of age.  The gross monthly income limit for a 14 year old in a family of two is $1,040. Here is what happened in your situation: In the month you received the notice that your daughter was not eligible for BadgerCare your gross monthly income was below $1,040 so your daughter was actually eligible for Healthy Start.  She will always be tested for Healthy Start before BadgerCare.  This is good because Healthy Start has a bit more flexibility when it comes to income calculation.  If your income increases this month and exceeds the Healthy Start eligibility limits, your daughter will cascade back to BadgerCare because it has higher income limits.  The bottom line is that as long as your income is below the BadgerCare limits, and you meet all other requirements, your daughter will continue to receive Medicaid, whether it is under Healthy Start or BadgerCare.  

2. CORRECTION FOR PAST CASE TIP

CASE TIP:  Did you know that Katie Beckett kids automatically qualify for WIC?

Children on Katie Beckett are automatically eligible for WIC. Income is not a factor and nutritional need is not a factor.  Children on Katie Beckett are eligible through "adjunctive eligibility."  

Correction:
While children on Katie Beckett are automatically income eligible for WIC through adjunctive eligibility, a nutrition or health reason must be determined according to WIC criteria.  Adjunctive eligibility only applies to income, not to other WIC Program eligibility criteria. While children on Katie Beckett would most likely qualify for the WIC Program, all children on Medicaid are not automatically eligible for the WIC Program.  A nutrition or health reason must be determined.

Deborah Grenier, MPA, RD, CD
WIC Program Operations Coordinator
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
608-266-2148
Fax 608-266-3125
grenidm@dhfs.state.wi.us
Visit our website at: www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/wic

_______________________________________________________________________
3. HEALTH INFORMATION FOR TEENS WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS

The American Academy of Family Physicians has developed a web site designed to provide health information to the whole family, including teens.  The teen’s section includes information about a number of childhood chronic health conditions, including sickle cell, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and cerebral palsy.  Each brief condition specific entry includes information about "what doctors do" to treat the condition; and what teens can do to cope with the condition, and be healthier. Go to: 
http://www.familydoctor.org/teens.xml  and look under "more common conditions."

4. HEALTH HISTORY SUMMARY FOR TEENS AVAILABLE

The Adolescent Health Transition Project (AHTP) announces two new documents posted on the AHTP Website: Health History Summary and How to Use the Health History Summary. Both documents may be found at: 
http://www.depts.washington.edu/healthtr/healthhistory/default.html



5. PUBLICATIONS ON ORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AVAILABLE

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) is pleased to announce the release of a new publication series, Practical Oral Care for People With Developmental Disabilities: Making a Difference.  Developed through the Institute's National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse (NOHIC), the project aims to equip dental professionals in the community with the basic information they need to provide oral care to people with mild or moderate developmental disabilities.  Publications provide practical management strategies for office-based dental care and information to support home-based oral hygiene.

Publications in the Practical Oral Care series include background information on developmental disabilities and address oral health problems common in people with these disorders.  Treatment strategies emphasize adapting standard care procedures to accommodate the needs of special care patients.  The following materials are available:

For dental professionals
* Continuing Education:  Practical Oral Care for People with Developmental Disabilities
* Practical Oral Care for People With Autism
* Practical Oral Care for People With Cerebral Palsy
* Practical Oral Care for People With Down Syndrome
* Practical Oral Care for People With Mental Retardation
* Wheelchair Transfer:  A Health Care Provider's Guide

For caregivers
* Dental Care Every Day:  A Caregiver's Guide

Complementing these materials is a continuing education test for dental professionals located online at www.nohic.nidcr.nih.gov  Participants who complete the test successfully earn two credit hours.

If you have questions about the Practical Oral Care series or would like to order copies of these publications, simply call NOHIC at (301) 402-7364.  You can also order publications online or e-mail the clearinghouse at nohic@nidcr.nih.gov

NIDCR's partners in this project are the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Special Care Dentistry.
________________________________________________________________________
6. HeathWatch Updates and Contacts

WELCOME TO THE EAU CLAIRE HEALTH WATCH!  HealthWatch -Eau Claire County meets bi-monthly at the Luther Hospital Dining Room. Next meeting will be this Thursday, Sept.2, 2004 from 12-1:30 pm. For more information, please contact: Lou Kelsey, Epilepsy Foundation of Western Wisconsin. 1-715-834-4455 or kelseyl@discover-net.net
 
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 

Training on “Mental Health Issues for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs” on Monday, September 13 from 11 am until 1 pm at South Madison Community Health Center, 2202 South Park Street, Madison.  Lunch is included and space is limited.  Please RSVP to maureenf@safetyweb.org 

Southeastern Region:  Brad Holman, Children's Hospital of
Wisconsin, 414.266.3189, bholman@chw.org

"Care in the Community" Conference – Friday, September
24, from 8-3:30pm@ the Country Inn – Waukesha, WI.  RN and SW CEUs
available. 

"Working with Children with Special Health Care Needs"
Conference – Thursday, October 7, from 8:30-4:00pm @ Country Inn – Waukesha, 
WI. Target audience is contracted agencies with the SE CSHCN 
Regional Center, CPLs, Public Health and Social Service Agencies.  
Contact the SE CSHCN Regional Center @ 800-234-5437 for more 
information.

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 

“Current Health Care Access and Coverage Issues in Wisconsin” will be held in the Northeastern Region on Tuesday, September 14 from 9 until 11 am.

Western Region:  Rose Marsh, Chippewa County Dept of Public Health, 
1-800-400-3678, rmarsh@co.chippewa.wi.us

____________________________________________________________________
7.      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.
________________________________________________________________________
8.      ABC for HEALTH SILENT AUCTION PREVIEW

SHHHH! Our October 14 includes a silent auction.  If you have an item or service to contribute to our tempting array of silent auction items, please contact maureenf@safetyweb.org   If you would like to preview some of the highlighted items, please visit our website at:  www.abcforhealth.org

  

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