Special Projects and Programs
Community Circle of Care
CHSC is co-leading, along with the Iowa Department of Human Services, a project in northeast Iowa to improve services for children with and at-risk for behavioral and mental health problems. Strong family advocacy characterizes the multidisciplinary team approach to services. The project evaluation will study improvements for children and families, as well as for the wider service system. The six-year project, supported by both federal and state funds, will develop a family-driven, culturally competent, integrated system of care. The system aspires to be a replicable, community-based service model for all Iowa children with mental health problems, chronic illnesses, or developmental disabilities.
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program at CHSC is focused on ensuring that children get the audiological and early intervention services they need. The program also offers Guide By Your Side, a family support program for families of young children with a hearing loss. All EHDI program activities are designed to reach the national 1-3-6 goals: hearing screening for all children by one month of age, diagnosis by three months of age, and entry into early intervention by six months of age.
Family-to-Family Health Information Center
CHSC is leading a project to meet families’ needs for more accessible information resources; more available family-to-family support; and more meaningful family-professional partnerships. The Family-to-Family Health Information Center is designed to be guided by strong multiagency collaboration, family-driven planning, and effective use of program evaluation. The ultimate goal is to have a cohesive, coordinated, culturally competent statewide network of parent mentors/educators to serve families of children with special health care needs. This project expands on CHSC’s already talented, committed team of parent consultants.
Health and Disease Management
CHSC’s Health and Disease Management (HDM) team of nurses and parent consultants specializes in supporting families and organizing services. Care coordination enables children with special health care needs to remain at home and participate in family and community activities. The HDM team helps families access Medicaid waiver services, as well as other needed health, education, and human services. The core philosophical approach of HDM is always family-centered, community-based, coordinated, and collaborative.
Iowa Child and Family Household Health Survey
The Iowa Child and Family Household Health Survey is a population-based survey that was given to approximately 3,600 Iowa families, including families of children with special health care needs, in 2000 and again in 2005. Information from the survey helps CHSC and the Bureau of Family Health plan services to meet the needs of Iowa families. The survey will be repeated in 2010.
Medical Home / Care Coordination Team
The CHSC Medical Home / Care Coordination team works to promote spread of the medical home model among community-based primary care providers, especially for the purpose of improving quality of care for children with special health care needs. CHSC shares its special expertise in family-centered, care coordination services with primary care providers by helping develop care coordination services within the primary care practice or by facilitating connections between the practice and public health care coordinators.
Nutrition Services Program
CHSC has been providing nutrition care to Iowa's children with special health care needs for over twenty years. Because these children often have nutrition, growth, and/or feeding challenges, CHSC assures access to a registered dietitian (RD), either by helping families find an RD in their community, or by directly providing nutrition services if no RD is available. CHSC also partners with the Department of Education to provide nutrition care to children 0-3 years old as part of early intervention services available through the Early ACCESS program. RDs provide screening, nutrition assessment, and follow-up care across Iowa by utilizing a telehealth system to videoconference with families.
Regional Autism Services Program
The mission of the Regional Autism Services Program is to promote excellence in services to Iowans with autism (and its spectrum disorders) and their families through leadership and the support of staff development programs, innovative services, and school improvement. We’re committed to ensuring that all Iowans with autism have regional access to service options and supports that allow them to realize their potential. We provide resource and referral services, technical assistance, statewide library services, and regional screening for toddlers and youth with autism, pervasive developmental disorder, or Asperger’s Disorder.
Service Coordination for Early ACCESS
CHSC provides service coordination for selected children 0-3 years old with special health care needs enrolled in Early ACCESS, Iowa’s early intervention program. CHSC parent consultants must successfully complete a training program to become approved Early ACCESS service coordinators. CHSC service coordinators assure that young children with health conditions causing or likely to cause developmental delay receive a range of needed community-based services. The overall goal is to improve a child’s functioning to a level comparable with his or her same-aged peers.