Survey weights are used to calculate the population estimate which is representative of all non-institutionalized children aged 0 to 17 years in the U.S., in each state and the District of Columbia who live in housing units.  A 5-item screener, parent-reported tool designed to reflect the federal MCHB’s definition of CSHCN was used to identify children with special care needs.  All three parts of at least one screener question (or in the case of question 5, the two parts) must be answered “YES.”  See https://www.nschdata.org/learn-about-the-nsch/survey-instruments  for further information.

Question surveyed: Does this child have special health care needs based on the CSHCN screener?

Numerator:      Children with qualifying responses on one or more of the five CSHCN Screener criteria

Denominator:  Children age 0-17 years

Data Sources:    Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. National Survey of Children's Health, 2016-2017 aggregate. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Retrieved 08/22/2019 from https://www.childhealthdata.org/browse/survey.

In California, 15.5 percent of children have special health care needs, which translates to about 1.4 million children across the state. Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) include infants, children and youth from birth to age 21 who have one or more chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions and require special health and support services.

To better serve this population, the 
California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division collaborates with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and other partners to improve systems of care at the state and local level, promotes collaboration between agencies, and provides case management, family engagement, screening and links to services.  
 

• Local MCAH programs
• Department of Health Care Services
• Health care providers  
• Education and child care providers  
• Family advocates
• Non-profit organizations  
• Health Plans
• Universities
• Other State agencies
• Professional organizations

Our goal is to ensure optimal health and quality of life for all children and youth with special health needs and their families.

Through the Title V Block Grant, California works to promote developmental screening, local systems for referrals and linkages to needed services, high quality health care, access to primary and specialty care, and promotes medical home and transition services for CYSHCN.  

MCAH is currently engaged in a year of learning to connect with stakeholders, build partnerships, and expand our knowledge about the greatest needs and opportunities to support CYSHCN and their families. By July 2019, MCAH plans to culminate this year of learning by collaboratively establishing a comprehensive strategic plan to guide future Title V-funded efforts to serve this important population. 

Partnership with Department of Health Care Services  
In California, oversight for Title V funding is provided by the MCAH Division. A portion of the Title V funding that MCAH receives for CYSHCN is allocated to California Children’s Services (CCS), a state program designed to provide services to children and youth with the most medically complex health care needs. The CCS program is administered by the DHCS Integrated Systems of Care Division (ISCD) as a partnership between county health departments, health plans, and DHCS.4 MCAH and ISCD are committed to working in close collaboration to meet the diverse needs of all CYSHCN throughout the state, through family engagement, increasing access to and quality of care, and improving systems at the state and local level.