HCP Care Coordination

For children, youth and their families:
The vision of HCP care coordination is to improve the quality of life for children and youth with special needs and their families by improving their ability to appropriately and effectively utilize the health care system in collaboration with the child’s or youth’s primary care provider.

HCP Care Coordinators:

• promote family participation and decision making
• promote independence
• help with referrals for community resources
• provide education and guidance in coordinating health care
• navigate options to help pay for health care
• coordinate transition to adult health care
• assist with identifying respite care resources
• collaborate with a child's health care providers
• answer questions... and more!

For Health Care Providers:
HCP Care Coordinators are a resource to health care providers who provide care for children and youth with special needs. HCP Care Coordination uses a medical home approach to health care. A medical home approach strives to assure that health care is comprehensive, coordinated, and continuous over time, easily accessible, comprehensive and family centered. A medical home approach is accomplished when care and treatment options are collaboratively decided and families feel included and valued.

HCP Care Coordinators:

• identify community and state services and resources
• coordinate access to pediatric specialty care
• support a medical home approach
• navigate options to help pay for health care
• help coordinate transition to adult health care
• answer questions... and more!

How can a child or youth receive HCP Care Coordination or assistance from a public health nurse?
Map of Colorado Counties providing HCP Care Coordination and locations of the HCP Regional Specialty Clinics:   HCP Specialty Clinics with Care Coodination
 

 Find your local public health agency: Local Public Health Agencies

Health Care Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs Referral Form

Health Care Transition Planning
HCP Care Coordinators assist with planning for transitioning  from pediatric to adult care services. The journey from childhood, through adolescence, to adulthood poses many challenges for a youth with disabilities. HCP Care Coordination can help youth and families partner with schools, service agencies and health care providers to create an effective path to greater adult independence. It is recommended that youth and families start planning for health care transition at an early age.
 
What does health care transition involve?

• Moving from pediatric care to physicians trained in adult medicine
• Helping youth assume responsibility and take charge of health care issues
• Maximizing independence and supplying support systems as needed
• Systematic planning from an early age
• Understanding health care systems available for adults with disability
• Learning to navigate services for youth over age 21.  

Navigating options to help pay for health care:
HCP Care Coordinators can help families navigate  Health Insurance options that may be available to families with children and youth with special needs: Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) - A low-cost health insurance program for uninsured Colorado children from birth to age 18 whose families make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford private insurance for their children.

Medicaid - Medicaid is a program that pays for health insurance for some Coloradans who cannot afford it. When state and federal eligibility criteria are met, Medicaid covers families with children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. People who are not US citizens can only get Medicaid to pay a life threatening medical emergency.
 

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) - Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) is a special voluntary health care program within Medicaid for children from birth to age 21. EPSDT is designed to detect and treat health problems early in children.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - Federal income supplement program for children and adults with disabilities.
 

Identifying Respite Care
HCP Care Coordinators assist families to identify respite care resources. Respite Care provides support and relief for families who have children who are medically fragile, or have special medical needs or severe behavior issues. Respite for these families requires being able to find a person or a setting with trained staff to provide safe, affordable responsible care.

• Respite provides a temporary safe haven and meaningful experience for a child that allows short-term relief for parents or primary family caregivers
• Respite is a preventive strategy that strengthens families, protects their health and well-being, and allows them to continue providing care at home.
• Respite is an important component of comprehensive family support and long-term services that are available to caregivers on a planned basis and in the event of a crisis or emergency situation.
• Offers supervision/care-giving services by individuals capable of addressing the needs of a child with complex health concerns with behavioral or emotional as well as medical.
• Typically of short duration – ranging from a few hours to a couple of days

Colorado Respite Coalition (CRC)
CRC is a group of families and community partners who have ongoing dialogue to  explore, connect, and support community organizations and individuals interested in creating respite programs. 

Contacts:
Valerie Saiz, Co-Facilitator - 303-619-1437
Janis De Baca, Co-Facilitator - 720-231-5268