During the past 20 years, a new model of care for children with special health care needs has emerged. Much of the credit is due to partnerships among Federal and State governments, families, child health professionals, communities, and professional and voluntary organizations at the local and national level. In this country, as well as in many others, there is now broad recognition that children and youth with special health care needs do best if they have access to comprehensive, family-centered, culturally competent, coordinated, and fully inclusive service systems at the community level.
There have been important private and public sector
efforts to fine-tune the model and to demonstrate that it works. The model
served as the basis for a National Agenda for Children
with Special Health Care Needs that was developed in 1987 and was endorsed by
more than 70 organizations. The model has been built into Federal legislation
as part of Title V of the Social Security Act. Many States and communities have
begun to put the model in place.
A new, broad definition of children with special health care needs has been developed (at right) and is now widely accepted. The first national survey of children with special health care needs is being supported by HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau in partnership with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
In response to this need, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) is collaborating with Family Voices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes, and many other private and public sector partners on a new initiative—the 2010 Express. Families, child health professionals, States, communities, and public and private sector organizations have come together with MCHB to produce a 10-Year Action Plan to Achieve Community-Based Service Systems for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families. The plan, which will be the centerpiece of a companion monograph to Healthy People 2010, presents a blueprint for the organization, financing, and delivery of services for children and youth with special health care needs and their families that can be achieved by 2010.
Equally important, it sets forth a framework for effective partnerships between families and professionals; among professions; between the private health care system and public health; among health, social service, education, and other agencies and officials at the Federal, State, and community levels; and among public agencies, businesses, and voluntary organizations in the private sector.
The plan is organized around six core goals:
Formal roll-out of the Healthy People 2010 Companion Monograph on Children with Special Health Care Needs and the 10-Year Action Plan will take place at All Aboard the 2010 Express: A National Summit on Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Their Families scheduled for December 12 and 13, 2001, in Washington, DC.
The meeting, which is expected to attract about 1,500 participants, will be sponsored by HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Family Voices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes, and many other organizations. All are welcome!
For more information about the Summit go to www.psava.com or call toll-free (877) 374-5907 or (703) 852-2915 for local calls.
MCHB/DSCSHN
5600 Fishers Lane - Room 18-A-27
Rockville, MD 20857
Tel: 301-443-2350
Fax: 301-443-1728
www.mchb.hrsa.gov
Creating a 10-Year Action Plan is an important step,
but moving it from words to deeds is much more important, and much more difficult.
Partners—old and new—are being recruited and welcomed to the 2010 Express.
Much of the work ahead must be accomplished at the
State and community level. If you or your national, State, or local group would
like to “come aboard,” please call 301-443-2350
or go to www.mchb.hrsa.gov.
*The full-length draft of the 10-Year Action Plan is available at www.mchb.hrsa.gov.
Official publication date is set for December 2001.