Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Connecticut's Medical Home Initiative
Connecticut Medical Home Family Satisfaction Survey - Click here
Transition to Adulthood Surveys - Click Here
Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) are those who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition and require health and related services beyond that required for children in general. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services estimates there are approximately 139,453 CYSHCN in Connecticut.
Connecticut Medical Home Initiative Contact Information
Connecticut Medical Home Initiative Regional Town Listings
The Child Development Infoline (CDI) For more information on the Connecticut Medical Home Initiative for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) or to speak to a CDI care coordinator call CDI toll free at: 1-800-505-7000.
Please Note: All documents are in Portable Document Format (pdf). You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view and print the information.
CYSHCN & Medical Home Family Brochure
CYSHCN & Medical Home Provider Brochure
CYSHCN and Title V of the Social Security Act
President's New Freedom Initiative
RESPITE AND EXTENDED SERVICES FUNDS
Connecticut Lifespan Respite Coalition can provide information on respite funds and extended services. They can be reached by calling 860-513-0172 or toll free at 1-877-737-1966.
Respite is planned or emergency temporary relief that can be offered once or multiple times to family caregivers who are caring for individuals with special needs such as a disability or chronic or terminal illness.
Please note that due to the limited availability of funds, there is a $500 per family maximum per year for Respite funds, including camp within the availability of funds.
DPH conducted its own statewide assessment of the needs of families of CYSHCN and the providers who serve them: 306 families and 223 practitioners responded to the study, which found that 31% of families had no care coordination. In addition, approximately 40% of all those surveyed felt that the largest unmet need was for non-medical services such as respite services, after-school programs and summer camps.
There was a consensus in both the family and provider surveys that providers did not always effectively address the impact that caring for CYSHCN had on the family. Providers also cited a need to have additional materials to help them provide more effective family-centered care.
Get Creative About Respite Guide
The Get Creative About Respite Guide provides a way for you, as a family member or other caregiver, to communicate with the people who provide respite care for the child or adolescent in your life who has special needs.
