Community Snapshots
These community snapshots were created as part of the Focus on Progress
effort by Champions for Progress
(Ordered by State.)
Alabama Community Snapshot
The Reagan family’s journey began in 2001 when NiCole, then 16, sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Following the accident, NiCole’s parents weren’t sure what to do or expect, and the doctors cautioned them not to be overly optimistic. Then help came.
... read rest of "Alabama Community Snapshot"
Arkansas Community Snapshot
Help in the most desperate of circumstances.
Michael was born at 33 weeks with a serious brain condition. Not only did Michael have a variety of special needs, his family also struggled with various issues and, together, they required care coordination across several agencies.
... read rest of "Arkansas Community Snapshot"
Arizona Community Snapshot
Who needs angels when you have a service coordinator?
When Roger, a 10-year old boy, was hit by a drunken driver while riding his bicycle, he sustained multiple injuries. His service coordinator, Danielle, has been Roger’s ultimate advocate to support the family in identifying services, filing appeals when denials occurred, and helping the family navigate the system.
... read rest of "Arizona Community Snapshot"
California Community Snapshot
Achieving the impossible (and having fun in the meantime)
Cerebral palsy and quadriplegia can make an individual’s life very difficult; however, with the help of the San Francisco California Children’s Services Medical Therapy Program, Kathy finds many opportunities to participate in everyday activities that many would find impossible with her condition.
... read rest of "California Community Snapshot"
Colorado Community Snapshot
When staff of the Colorado State Health Care Program (HCP) found out that 3-year old Jenny was not receiving the speech/language therapy that she needed because the school’s therapist did not have the expertise to address her needs, the regional HCP coordinator supported the therapist by connecting her with technical assistance from the state HCP speech/language consultant; and ended up strengthening the long-term therapy supports within the school system.
... read rest of "Colorado Community Snapshot"
Florida: Community Snapshot
From the moment a family makes contact with one of Florida’s Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Area Offices, the staff works very hard to ensure that they, along with their child, have a positive experience.
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Hawaii: Community Snapshot
J.R. was born on the beautiful island of Oahu with phenylketonuria (PKU). Throughout his childhood, he was followed closely by metabolic specialists, with assistance from Hawaii’s Children with Special Health Needs Program (CSHNP) nutritionist and the Newborn Metabolic Screening Program (NBMSP) coordinator.
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Iowa: Community Snapshot
Alex Koffman is a 9-year old who was born with cerebral palsy. The Child Health Specialty Clinic follows Alex and plans for his medical needs while providing support to him and his family.
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Idaho: Community Snapshot
When Corrine Lightner of Hollister, Idaho was pregnant with her second child, she didn’t smoke or drink and had a healthy diet. Yet when her son Gary was born, the full-term newborn had two splits in his upper lip and the roof of his mouth.
... read rest of "Idaho: Community Snapshot"
Illinois: Community Snapshot
Rosa has faced many challenges within her short eight years of life. Her family lives in a south suburb of Chicago and speaks only Spanish. As a result, they have faced many challenges in finding the appropriate medical care needed for Rosa’s multiple daily seizures.
... read rest of "Illinois: Community Snapshot"
Indiana: A Community Snapshot
In January of 2003, Sara was born and her parents, as most parents do, expected a healthy baby to be presented to them. They were completely overwhelmed when they received the news that Sara had spina bifida. "Trying to keep everything straight and remember what each doctor told us about Sara’s condition was very confusing."
... read rest of "Indiana: A Community Snapshot"
Kansas: Community Snapshot
One child’s story of hope began with a simple referral to a Kansas CSHCN field office. By the time the CSHCN office received information about a 2-year-old girl diagnosed with cerebral palsy, seizures and a hip deformity, the entire family was in desperate circumstances.
... read rest of "Kansas: Community Snapshot"
Kentucky: A Community Snapshot
Three-year old Sarah, a member of the local Amish community in Kentucky, has a condition that places stress on her heart, causing it to become enlarged. She is regularly seen in a Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CCSHCN)-sponsored cardiology clinic, where her cardiologist referred Sarah’s family to a surgeon and she was scheduled for heart surgery.
... read rest of "Kentucky: A Community Snapshot"
Massachusetts: A Community Snapshot
Elena is the mother of three children with complex special health needs, including cerebral palsy, autism and global developmental delays. Most of her family still lives in Puerto Rico, where Elena is from. When Ana, a bilingual DPH Care Coordinator came on site at the Health Center, Elena was one of her first clients.
... read rest of "Massachusetts: A Community Snapshot"
Maryland: A Community Snapshot
The Smith family was very concerned about their 2-year-old son Jake’s development and went to see his pediatrician, who suspected autism as a possible diagnosis. The ASK MD Program was able to make life more manageable for the Smith family.
... read rest of "Maryland: A Community Snapshot"
Maine: A Community Snapshot
A grandmother contacted the Maine CSHN Program to request some help for her grandson -- her grandson had developed a serious liver condition called biliary atresia and was currently four hours from home at Maine Medical Center in Portland. She had met program staff during a "Special Family Weekend", and remembered that the CSHN Program could provide specialty care services to children with special health care needs.
... read rest of "Maine: A Community Snapshot"
Michigan: A Community Snapshot
In Michigan’s Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) offices statewide, respecting families’ values and cultures is the norm and staff is committed to cultural competency. Several CSHCS offices are open during evening hours and CSHCS coordinators routinely strive to accommodate families’ needs
... read rest of "Michigan: A Community Snapshot"
Missouri: A Community Snapshot
Keith is a 17-year-old boy who lives in northeast Missouri. Keith was born with Group B Strep disease, a serious newborn infection. As a result, he spent his first 8 weeks of life in the hospital.
... read rest of "Missouri: A Community Snapshot"
Mississippi: A Community Snapshot
Anayeli is a 10-month-old girl with spina bifida. Her family was referred to the Department of Health’s Children’s Medical Program (CMP) shortly after her birth.
... read rest of "Mississippi: A Community Snapshot"
North Dakota: A Community Snapshot
Cole is a 12-year old boy with a rare medical condition that led to complete blindness. He also had a kidney tumor that was treated with chemotherapy.
... read rest of "North Dakota: A Community Snapshot"
New Hampshire: A Community Snapshot
Susan is typical of the children with special health care needs enrolled in New Hampshire’s Special Medical Services (SMS). As a toddler, she was referred to SMS because of developmental concerns and her family began a relationship with a nurse coordinator.
... read rest of "New Hampshire: A Community Snapshot"
New York: A Community Snapshot
"Keona’s story is an example of how valuable the Medicaid, Early Intervention and the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) programs can be to families of CSHCN. We tap into several services such as medications, PT, OT, speech therapy, and other specialists."
... read rest of "New York: A Community Snapshot"
Ohio: A Community Snapshot
Six-year-old George has a host of serious medical and developmental conditions and has been enrolled with the Ohio Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps since he was 3 months old. Although his father works for a small company which provides health insurance, the annual premiums are constantly increasing.
... read rest of "Ohio: A Community Snapshot"
Oklahoma: A Community Snapshot
Cade, a nine-year-old boy with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, lives with his parents and three brothers in an older home in a small rural community in Oklahoma. The Sooner SUCCESS County Coordinator and the family were able to combine public and private resources to support Cade.
... read rest of "Oklahoma: A Community Snapshot"
Oregon: A Community Snapshot
The CaCoon Public Health Nurse Program supports public health nurses who help families coordinate services and find resources for their children. Five-month old Jasmine was very small when she met Marsha, her first CaCoon nurse.
... read rest of "Oregon: A Community Snapshot"
Rhode Island: A Community Snapshot
Parent/professional partnerships are instrumental in helping families access needed services within their communities, as demonstrated by the support services offered to families through Rhode Island’s Pediatric Practice Enhancement Project and the Family-to-Family Network
... read rest of "Rhode Island: A Community Snapshot"
Tennessee: A Community Snapshot
One Tennessee family whose child needed heart surgery had lost their insurance. The family applied to Children’s Special Services (CSS) and was accepted. All needed services were coordinated with physicians, hospital, therapies, and follow-up, all paid for by CSS.
... read rest of "Tennessee: A Community Snapshot"
Texas: A Community Snapshot
In Temple, Texas, 10-year-old Stacey, whose joint deformities cause every step to be a painstaking effort, lacked funding to pay for a power wheelchair. The local CSHCN-SP coordinator contacted numerous medical equipment companies around the state and found a used power wheelchair.
... read rest of "Texas: A Community Snapshot"
Washington: A Community Snapshot
Public health nurses in Washington have the double duty of also serving as Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) coordinators. They partner with healthcare providers, family support organizations, and early intervention programs.
... read rest of "Washington: A Community Snapshot"
Wisconsin: A Community Snapshot
In a rural Wisconsin county, Healthy and Ready to Work (HRTW) used person-centered planning as a method to help 19-year-old Katie identify her strengths and interests.
... read rest of "Wisconsin: A Community Snapshot"