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

Abstract #61028

Gloria Weissman¹, Merle G. McPherson², Bonnie B. Strickland, PhD², Peter van Dyck, MD³, Stephen Blumberg, PhD⁴, and Paul Newacheck, DrPH⁵. (1) Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18A27, Rockville, MD 20857, 301.443.8999, gweissman@hrsa.gov, (2) Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18A27, Rockville, MD 20857, (3) MCHB/HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, 18-05, Rockville, MD 20857, (4) SLAITS, National Center for Health Statistics, 6525 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (5) Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California St., Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94118

Objective: To provide a baseline measure of the proportion of U.S. children meeting the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s core outcomes for children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Those core outcomes include: 1. Families of CSHCN will partner in decision-making and will be satisfied with the services they receive; 2. CSHCN will receive coordinated ongoing comprehensive care within a medical home; 3. Families of CSHCN will have adequate private and/or public insurance to pay for the services they need; 4.Children will be screened early and continuously for special health care needs; 5. Community-based service systems will be organized so families can use them easily; and 6. Youth with special health care needs will receive the services necessary to make transitions to adult life, including adult health care, work, and independence.

Data Sources/Study Setting: We analyzed data on 38,866 CSHCN included in the 2001 National Survey of CSHCN and 13,579 children included in the 2001 National Health Interview Survey. Principal Findings: Success rates ranged from 6% to 74% (the core outcome on organization of the service system). For 5 of the 6 core outcomes, success rates exceeded 50%. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the United States is well positioned to meet the six core outcomes. However, much more work lies ahead before success can be claimed. This is especially true for the core outcome on transition to adulthood, where only 6% of children in the target population are now meeting this goal.

Learning Objectives:

• To facilitate understanding of federal efforts to implement community based systems of care for CSHCN.
• To facilitate where we currently stand on achieving MCHB's 6 core outcomes that form the basis for community based systems of care

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Children With Special Needs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Maternal and Child Heatlh Bureau, DHHS
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.