The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59673

Treeby Williamson Brown, MA, consultant, 2265 Idylwood Station Lane, Falls Church, VA 22043, Meg Booth, MPH, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1220 19th Street NW Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036, 202/775-0436, megbooth@ampchp.org, and Peggy Frances Bailey, MPA, Center for Policy and Advocacy, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 1220 19th St, NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036.

Abstract: The year 2003 represents a pivotal year for Part C Early Intervention (EI) Programs as the Congressional reauthorization process begins once again. This issue brief is an attempt to document the critical relationship between Title V and Part C, by highlighting specific models of collaboration, documenting barriers to collaboration, and providing recommendations to the federal government and Congress about how best to support this collaboration.

To document the relationship between Title V MCH and CSHCN programs and the Part C programs, AMCHP conducted phone interviews with Title V MCH and/or CSHCN directors and Part C directors in 20 states. The information from the survey provides quantitative information and qualitative examples of and barriers to collaboration between the two programs in the following areas: outreach and identification of children, care coordination and service coordination, provision of services, involving families, provider availability, training and recruitment, quality assurance, and financing.

In particular, the survey found that the location of Part C programs can have an significant impact on the extent of collaboration between Part C and Title V programs. The greatest challenge to both programs are potential services cuts due to state budget shortfalls. Among the areas of promising collaboration are newborn hearing screening, medical home, and quality assurance. But in order to reach more children and improve the system of care for children with special health care needs, full funding of IDEA and a codifying of the relationship between Title V CSHCN and Part C programs with legislative language are essential.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will have an understanding of the following:
• The critical relationship between Title V and Part C programs based on interviews with 20 states.
• The value of specific models of collaboration between Title V and Part C programs in the following areas: outreach and identification of children; care coordination and service coordination; provision of services; involving families; provider availability; training and recruitment; quality assurance, and financing.
• Barriers to collaboration and to the effective implementation of the Part C program.
• How state and federal governments as well as Congress can ensure the success of the Part C program and suppport the collaboration between Title V and Part Programs.

Keywords: Children With Special Needs,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Staff as well as consultants from the Assocation of Maternal and Child Health Programs conducted this study.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am an employee of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs