Finding a CARES Services Provider

You need to designate an eligible provider to be responsible for your care coordination under the CARES services program. More information about finding an eligible CARES services provider is below.

Who should be my child’s CARES services provider?

• Your CARES provider should be the main provider you contact when you have concerns about your child’s health, or when they have difficulty getting care, sometimes called a “medical home”. Your CARES services provider should be the provider your family feels most connected to. They provide the most comprehensive care for your child. A provider must be certified to participate in the CARES program by MassHealth in order to be considered a CARES services provider.
• Some families may have multiple main providers, and it is possible for some or all of those providers to be certified to participate in the CARES program. For the purposes of the CARES program, you need to choose the one main provider/medical home that you think can best meet your child’s care coordination needs.
• Providers must be enrolled in the MassHealth program as a physician group practice, community health center, or acute outpatient hospital in order to be certified to provide CARES services.

What providers are currently certified CARES services providers?

• Baystate General Pediatrics
• Boston Children's Hospital, including Martha Eliot Health Center
• Boston Medical Center Pediatrics
• East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
• Tufts Medicine Pediatric Primary Care at Tufts Medical Center

If your provider is not currently certified to provide CARES services, you may talk with them about getting certified to provide CARES services.

Please see below to find the certification form to become a CARES for Kids provider.

• CARES Program Provider Certification Form PDF | Word

What if my family’s preferred medical provider is not a certified CARES services provider?

• Ask your child’s provider if they would be interested in becoming certified to provide CARES services.
• Or, contact MassHealth to find out other options for how your child can access CARES services.

How can my child receive CARES services?

• In order to receive CARES services, you child must be eligible for CARES services and must be or become a patient of a CARES services provider. This could be one of your existing providers (if they are, or are willing to become, CARES certified), or you can request assistance from MassHealth to locate a new CARES services provider. 
• See above for more information on CARES eligibility.

What happens if my child has more than one provider who is a CARES services provider?

• Your child can only have one provider as their designated CARES services provider, so you will need to choose which provider that should be. In making this choice, you may want to consider who you feel most comfortable with, and then ask that person to be your designated CARES services provider. You may also want to talk with all your providers to identify together who the best person is to serve as your child’s CARES services provider.

Choosing a designated CARES services provider does NOT mean you must stop seeing your other health care providers for health care services. It is only to designate which provider will be responsible for your care coordination under CARES.

Date published:	October 2, 2023
Last updated:	May 7, 2025