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

Abstract #60855

Kathryn A. Smith, RN, MN¹, Lucy Crain, MD, MPH², Juno Duenas³, Janice Eldred⁴, Nicole Garro, MPH¹, Arnold Gold, MD⁵, Fran Goldfarb, MA, CHES¹, Maridee A. Gregory, MD⁶, Jorge Gutierrez, MD⁷, Moira Inkelas, PhD⁸, and Laurie Soman, MSW⁹. (1) CA Medical Home Project, 5000 W. Sunset Bl. Suite 510, Los Angeles, CA 90027, 323 913 4400, kasmith@medicalhomela.org, (2) Pediatrics Disabilities Clinic, UCSF Division of General Pediatrics, 400 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127, (3) Support for Families with Disabilities, 2601 Mission Street, Suite 804, San Francisco, CA 94110, (4) California HealthCare Foundation, 476 Ninth street, Oakland, CA 94607, (5) American Academy of Pediatrics, 800 Third Street, Marysville, CA 95901, (6) Children's Medical Services, Department of Health Services, 1515 K Street, Suite 400, P.O. Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, (7) Department of Pediatrics/Division of Critical Care, University of California at San Francisco, P.O. Box 0106, Room M680, San Francisco, CA 94143-0106, (8) School of Public Health, UCLA, 10945 Le Conte Ave, Ueberroth Bldg Suite 1401, P.O. Box 956939, Los Angeles, CA 90095, (9) Center for the Vulnerable Child, Children's Hospital Oakland, 747 52nd Street, Oakland, CA 94609-1809

The California Medical Home Project

The California Medical Home Project, funded by the California HealthCare Foundation, aims to improve access to comprehensive, coordinated primary and specialty care for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their families by developing a statewide network of family-centered medical homes. The network consists of locally-based coalitions throughout the state, built upon the resources, and responsive to the needs, of each community. The Project has five components: 1) the Steering Committee to guide project activities, 2) the Statewide Coalition to address overarching policy issues such as reimbursement and quality assurance, 3) seven local coalitions, 4) the Program Office which staffs project activities and provides technical assistance and consultation to the local coalitions, and 5) an evaluation component. The primary target population for this project is the approximately 150,000 children who receive services from California Children’s Services, the state’s Title V CSCHN Program. California is challenged by an ethnically and geographically diverse population and significant health disparities, compounded by a state budget crisis and impending decreases in public funding for health care. The Project’s local coalitions are working to build unique networks of medical homes to meet the needs of the communities and families they serve, while moving to assure access to care for all children with special health care needs, including those from historically underserved populations.

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of the session, the participant will be able to:
• Describe the purpose of the CA Medical Home Project.
• Describe the main components of the project.
• Discuss how the project will improve care for children with special health care needs and their families in CA.
• Describe how the project can be used as a model for other geographic regions.

Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Access and Services

Related Web page: www.medicalhomela.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Handout (.doc format, 81.5 kb)

Handout (.doc format, 42.5 kb)