IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Case Tip: Household Size and Medicaid Eligibility
2. Governor's Task Force on Autism Public Hearing
3. WCCF Advocacy Training "Helping Kids and Families This Legislative Session"
4. State Health Facts Available On Line
5. Kids on Wheels Resource Guide
6. Happy Thanksgiving!
7. HealthWatch Updates and Contacts
8. Suggestions for the Update? Contact Us!

1. CASE TIP: HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY

Can you count all children living in your household when applying for Family Medicaid? What about children away from home at college? The total size of the family is important because a larger family size will increase the income limits for Medicaid eligibility. However, Medicaid has rules about who can be counted as a member of the family. Even if you claim your college age child as a dependent for tax purposes, your adult child is not necessarily considered to be a member of the household for Medicaid eligibility purposes.

Medicaid rules generally require that an adult child, anyone over the age of 18, is not considered a member of the household for Medicaid eligibility purposes.

For example:
Jenny and Keith are looking into Medicaid for their 4 year old son, James. They are over income for Healthy Start and trying to figure out what their deductible will be. They have a 19 daughter, Samantha, who attends college. Jenny and Keith are trying to figure out if Samantha will be counted as a member of the household when trying to calculate James' Medicaid eligibility through Healthy Start.

Although Samantha may still be considered a dependant, she is over 19 and thus not considered a member of the household when calculating the Healthy Start deductible. Even if Samantha attended college and lived at home she could not be counted as a member of the household.

For citation, see Medicaid Eligibility Handbook 5.7.5 at: http://www.emhandbooks.wi.gov/meh/

2. GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE ON AUTISM PUBLIC HEARING

The public hearing for response to the recommendations from the Governor's Task Force on Autism will be held this Friday, November 20 from 10 am until 4 pm in Room 411 South in the State Capitol in Madison. If you are unable to testify with your response to the recommendations on that day, you can submit comments to: Governor Jim Doyle at Room 115 East, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53702, (608) 266-1212, or go to this web site to send an e-mail: www.wisgov.state.wi.us/contact.asp
The full report can be accessed as a PDF at: http://www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/bdds/autism/report.pdf
For more information on the Governor's Task Force, please visit:
http://www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/bdds/autism/taskforc.htm

3. WCCF ADVOCACY TRAINING ON HELPING KIDS AND FAMILIES THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Join the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families in building a strong voice for kids in the state Capitol. Topics covered include: Analysis, background, data and updates on key policies to improve the lives of Wisconsin's children and families; Skills for advancing these policies in your local media; Information on how and when to contact elected officials, including in-district meetings, letters, and budget hearings; and Ways to connect with other advocates in your community to coordinate your efforts and multiply your voices.

Trainings will be held at locations around the state in December and January. For further information, please contact: Jill Jacklitz at 608.284.0580, ext. 325 or jilljacklitz@wccf.org

4. STATE HEALTH FACTS AVAILABLE ON LINE

Kaiser Family Foundation has revised and substantially updated the State Health Facts website. This site provides data on more than 400 health topics. The site has the capacity to make comparisons across states and the nation. Much of the information is obtained from Federal sources. For researchers, the site includes access to raw data files.
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/

5. KIDS ON WHEELS RESOURCE GUIDE

No Limits Communications is pleased to announce the release of its unique resource guide, Kids on Wheels. The book comes in two volumes: A Young Person's Guide to Wheelchair Lifestyle (Vol. 1) and A Guide to Wheelchair Lifestyle for Parents, Teachers and Professionals (Vol. 2).

This book champions the view that kids who use wheelchairs can make choices, shape their own lives and grow up to be as independent as any child leaving the nest. To that end, Vol. 1 of Kids on Wheels speaks directly to young wheelchair users, with profiles of other kids, plus chapters on participating in the arts, understanding media images, acquiring service animals, making friends and more.

The second volume, written for parents, teachers and disability professionals, helps adults empower kids to live a full and independent life. It includes tips from other families, plus detailed advice on health, insurance, personal assistance, education, transportation, technology and travel.

Ordering information can be found at
https://www.newmobility.com/bookstore-KOW3.cfm?type=REG&order_id=new

6. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Just a friendly reminder that the ABC for Health offices will be closed on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 in celebration of Thanksgiving. We hope that you have a very enjoyable holiday.

7. HEALTHWATCH CONTACTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

The next meeting of the Southeastern Region CHASE group will be held on Thursday,
November 18 from 11:30 until 1:30 at ARC-Milwaukee, located at 7203 West Center Street in Wauwatosa.

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

8. 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.

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