Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104867

Denise Elizabeth Stevens, PhD¹, Brenda T. Fenton, PhD¹, and Martha Okafor, PHC, MA, CSM, MPA². (1) MATRIX Public Health Consultants, Inc, 85 Willow Street, Suite 3, New Haven, CT 06511, 203-787-4700, stevens@matrixphc.com, (2) Bureau of Community Health, Family Health Division, Connecticut Department of Public Health, 410 Capitol Avenue, MS#11FHD, P.O. Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134

The Connecticut Department of Public Health recently facilitated a multi-stage change process that has led to a new community-based system of health care delivery for CYSHCN. Its success is a result of identifying and involving multiple stakeholders simultaneously. The system's creation is based upon gaps and barriers to services for CYSHCN identified in a statewide needs assessment (2003). The change process leveraged involvement in a federal MCH project which created a local Medical Home Learning Collaborative. A process evaluation study of the involved pilot medical homes was then undertaken to gather their lessons learned. A plan for expansion of community based medical homes was then developed with input from the pilot sites and in tandem with a system to triage referrals for children and their families and improve access to community based resources. PCP support was decentralized through the creation of Regional Medical Home Support Centers which also link to parent support groups. As financial barriers were consistently raised by stakeholders, the DPH assisted in establishing a legislative subcommittee to address complex reimbursement issues. A Medical Home Training Academy was established to provide ongoing primary care practice improvement training system. The new system involves a partnership effort between multiple stakeholders including other state departments (DCF, DMR, DSS), state legislature (e.g. Medicaid Managed Care Council), community-based pediatric primary care practices (in the form of a medical home learning collaborative), the Connecticut affiliate of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Child Health Development Infoline, Connecticut Children's Fund/Child Health Development Institute among other stakeholders.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the sequence of steps necessary to invoke system level change on a statewide basis
• Describe strategies for building partnerships with diverse stakeholders
• Learn specific challenges faced and examples of creative problem solving

Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Quality Improvement

Related Web page: www.dph.state.ct.us/BCH/Family%20Health/HPFamHS.html#Children%20with%20Special%20Health%20Care%20Needs%20Unit

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation