HCP for Children with Special Needs

HCP is a program for children and youth with special health care needs that helps improve their health, development and well being by promoting communication between families, providers and community resources and by connecting them to the care they need.

Who is Eligible for HCP?

HCP provides services to children and youth with special health care needs from birth to 21 years living in Colorado, who have or are at risk for physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions.
HCP services are tailored to fit the need of individual families.
HCP has no diagnosis or income restrictions.
Most services are free and no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay.

Download this brochure from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment for more information.

HCP Referral Form
How to submit a referral form: email kharris@alamosacounty.org or fax (719)589-1103 attn: Kerrie Harris
HRSA funding statement: This project was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number B04MC28087, Maternal and Child Health Services. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Definition of CYSHCN and population served: The Maternal and Child Health Bureau defines the population of children and youth with special health care needs as “those who have, or are at increased risk for having, a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children [and youth] generally” (Maternal and Child Health Bureau, McPherson, et al., 1998).

What does HCP Provide?

Care Coordination - A nurse working with a family to:

Advocate for the child.
Identify and prioritize needs.
Develop a plan to achieve goals.

Connection to Pediatric Specialty Clinics - Public Health hosts pediatric specialty clinics several times a year to:

Provide specialty care for neurology and rehabilitation medicine with specialists from Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Collaborate with local primary care providers and model a medical home team approach.
***Watch for pediatric specialty clinics to move to their new location in 2019, coordinated through University of Colorado.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “HCP” stand for??
- HCP is a program for children and youth with special health care needs. Before, the program was called the Handicapped Children's Program (HCP) and then the Health Care Program (HCP) for Children with Special Needs. Now, we are simply known as HCP.
What information and resources does HCP provide?
- HCP provides information and resources to address a child’s behavioral, developmental, educational, financial, medical and/or social needs.
How do I know if my child has a special health care need?
- Your child may have a special health care need if they require health and related services more than that of other children generally.
  - Special health care needs can be:
    - Physical, emotional or behavioral.
    - Diagnosed or undiagnosed.
    - Conditions that last a lifetime or end with treatment.
    - Easy to see in a child (visible health care needs) or not seen at all (invisible health care needs).
Are there any restrictions or eligibility requirements to receive HCP services?
- There are no restrictions or eligibility requirements based on income or diagnosis to receive HCP.

For more information see CDPHE's HCP FAQ's

For more information contact: Kerrie Harris, RN at (719) 587-5184 or kharris@alamosacounty.org

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Colorado: State & National Resources

HCP for Children with Special Needs