Care coordination for children and youth with special health needs
Care Coordinators provide:
- Information and referral to community services
- Case-specific consultation to parents, educators, and medical and social service providers in home and agency settings
- Training in public benefits and local systems of care
Services for parents
If a child or youth has a special health care need — it can be difficult and frustrating to get the information, care, and services needed. Care coordinators can help parents to:
- Coordinate medical, social and educational systems
- Identify the changing needs of their child and family;
- Understand the full range of available public benefits;
- Identify community resources to assist them;
- Gain access to specific programs and services;
- Become more effective advocates for their child and family;
- Connect with other families who face similar challenges
- Plan for health care transition
Services for providers
Medical, social service, and educational providers may be unfamiliar with or confused about benefits and community-based services available to children with special health care needs. Care coordinators can help these providers to:
- Understand existing entitlements and how to gain access to them;
- Obtain services and benefits for families;
- Identify appropriate community-based resources;
- Become better advocates for the families they serve
Target population
Families with a child or youth (up to age 22) who has special health care and complex coordination needs and is experiencing difficulty in obtaining or maintaining services.
Eligibility
To determine eligibility for Care Coordination services, please call the Community Support Line at (800) 882-1435 (toll free within Massachusetts).