This year, members of the MCH Section of APHA are re-establishing a Committee on Children with Special Health Care Needs within the Section’s Child and Adolescent Health cluster. Children with special health care needs are defined by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau as, “those who have or are at increased risk for 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 generally.” Findings of the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs indicate that this heightened level of need characterizes about 13 percent of U.S. children.  One-fifth of families responding to the survey reported having a child with special health care needs.

You are warmly invited to join us at a meeting to discuss the focus of the committee for the coming year.  The meeting will be from 6:30 to 8 a.m. (no, regrettably that’s not a typo) on Monday, Nov. 5, location to be announced. The preliminary agenda for this meeting includes:

·         Introductions.

·         Discussion of theme for the 2008 Annual Meeting and priorities for the committee’s scientific session/s at next year’s meeting.

·         Overall scope of the committee’s work, including such issues as:

o        Inclusion of the word “youth” in our name.

o        A focus on international as well as domestic issues.

o        Current policy issues of major concern.

·         Other topics of interest such as:

o        Possible future APHA resolutions.

o        Opportunities for collaboration within APHA (e.g., with the Disability SPIG).

o        Work with student members.

o        Outreach to and collaboration with relevant groups in the United States and internationally.

Questions or comments are welcome. If you are interested in the committee but can’t attend the meeting, please feel free to contact Deborah Allen at dallen@bu.edu.

Meanwhile, some issues you may want to track in your state that are particularly significant for this population are:

·         SCHIP reauthorization and eligibility;

·         States’ option to implement Medicaid buy-in programs under the federal Family Opportunity Act passed two years ago (for details, see http://www.hdwg.org/catalyst/pdf/FAQ_about_FOA_Medicaid_Buy-In1.pdf);

·         Statewide efforts to promote the medical home model of coordinated care for children with special health care needs; and

·         Initiatives to promote systematic developmental and mental health screening, and the adequacy of resources for children identified through screening.