Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
FEATURED ARTICLE
State Strategies to Advance Medical Homes for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP StaffMedical homes are critical components of comprehensive care systems for children and youth with special health needs (CYSHCN). They can reduce costs and improve outcomes and care experiences for CYSHCN and their families. This new report, State Strategies to Advance Medical Homes for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, examines effective strategies used […]
Health Services Initiative Gives States Unique Tools to Improve the Health of Low-Income Children
/in Policy Arkansas, Delaware Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Olivia BaconWith federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) assured through 2027, states can consider using a portion of their CHIP dollars to improve the health of low-income children through innovative Health Services Initiative (HSI). HSIs provide states with a mechanism to use CHIP administrative dollars to fund a range of activities beyond just […]
How States Can Improve Access to Care for Children Under the Medicaid Managed Care Rule
/in Policy Colorado, Virginia Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by Kate HonsbergerNext month, states face new federal requirements for establishing and maintaining Medicaid managed care provider networks. As they work to comply with these new rules, states have an opportunity to strengthen access to care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Medicaid and requirements, which address how enrollees access care and the […]
Oklahoma Uses Focus Groups to Identify Strategies to Better Serve Foster Care Youth
/in Policy Oklahoma Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Social Determinants of Health, Workforce Capacity /by Anita Cardwell and Olivia BaconOklahoma uses focus groups to identify ways to improve treatment guidelines, communication, and medication monitoring for foster care youth enrolled in Medicaid. May is National Foster Care Month and for the fourth consecutive year the number of children in foster care nationwide has climbed, fueled in part by the opioid epidemic, according to the Adoption and […]
How Six States Use Medicaid Managed Care to Serve Children with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Virginia Charts, Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by NASHP WritersMedicaid managed care provides a unique opportunity for states to strengthen the structure and delivery of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), studied how six states (Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia) designed their managed care systems to serve CYSHCN and […]
State and Federal Officials Explore Ways to Promote Healthy Child Development in a New Era
/in Policy Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health /by Carrie Hanlon and Jill RosenthalThe first years of life significantly impact long-term health and well-being and policymakers have worked hard to create initiatives that help children during this important period. Recently, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) convened state and federal leaders from agencies serving young children to discuss innovative approaches to advance healthy child development in […]
How the Bipartisan Budget Act Impacts Key State Health Care Programs
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP StaffThe Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which continues government funding through March 23, 2018, addressed funding for several health care programs that heavily impact states. The temporary federal budget includes bipartisan agreement on discretionary budget caps for two years, which should help Congress put together a larger omnibus spending bill in March. The following outlines […]
States Drive Innovations in Quality Measurement and Improvement for Children with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by Anisha Agrawal and Becky NormileChildren and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) are a diverse population whose health care needs and costs often exceed those of most children. Improving care for this population is critical, yet challenging, due to the complexity of conditions of some children, and the multitude of systems (e.g., health, education, social services) and supports […]
Lessons from Project LAUNCH: Promoting Healthy Child Development through Behavioral Health Integration and Mental Health Consultation Where Children Live, Learn, and Grow
/in Policy Blogs Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health /by Becky NormileThe first few years of life are critical to a child’s development, setting the foundation for success in school and overall health and well-being later in life. Recent research proves that providing early, skilled behavioral and mental health interventions in venues where young children and their families live and play is highly effective at improving […]
States Work to Improve Care for Children with Special Health Needs with Quality Measurement
/in Policy Michigan, New York, Texas Reports Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Value-Based Purchasing /by Anisha Agrawal, Becky Normile and Karen VanLandeghemImproving the quality of care that children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) receive is a growing priority for state Medicaid programs. However, many quality improvement efforts are in their infancy as states work to overcome the challenges of measuring and assessing care quality for this vulnerable population. NASHP, with support from the […]

For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
























































































































































National Care Coordination Standards for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN): Proceedings from the National Forum on Care Coordination for CYSHCN
/in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Policy Featured News Home, Reports Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs /by Olivia Randi