Clark County promotes a system of care where children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families belong, participate, and thrive in communities with integrated, accessible systems that equitably support their physical and mental health, development, social and emotional well-being.
Children and youth with special health care needs are defined 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.
By collaborating with local medical providers, health plans, early intervention agencies, schools, families, and other stakeholders in the community, Clark County works to ensure equitable access to high-quality services and supports. CYSHCN program offers guidance in linking children birth to 18 years old to community resources in order to address and support their unique nutritional, developmental, and behavioral needs.
Medical home and care coordination
The medical home is a model of primary care that provides comprehensive, high-quality, wraparound services. Medical homes are made up of a multidisciplinary team of primary care professionals, case managers, patient navigators, and others involved in the care and well-being of a child with complex needs. The medical home model reduces the burden of families by managing the coordination of care and services of CYSHCN.
Care coordination helps ensure your child and family is linked with services and resources that will best support your child's health and development. The medical home primary care provider has the important role of keeping track of all services a child is receiving, acting as a "central bank" for all health-related records.
Care coordination is sometimes offered by a family resource coordinator, developmental disabilities case manager, mental health provider, or a school nurse. Talk to your child's primary care provider about care coordination needs.
Parents and caregivers
As a parent or caregiver of a child with special health care needs, finding the supports and resources your family needs can be challenging. Provided below are topics of interest that may help you with:
- Basic needs such as food, housing and childcare
- Behavioral and/or mental health therapy programs
- Medical and dental coverage for your family
- Early intervention and school-based services
- Other community resources and information for you or your child
Providers and other professionals
As a provider working with children who have health complexities, knowing what is available and linking families to services is part of the care coordination. Below are common services that can help address identified needs for children and their families.
Resource navigation support
Connecting parents and caregivers to local resources.
800.322.2588
Link to care with digital technology support.
866.757.1832
Support for families and individuals with different abilities.
360.823.2247
Medical and developmental resources
A book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.
Vroom TipsTM are fun activities, backed by science to turn everyday moments into Brain Building Moments!
Enriching and empowering the lives of youth, adults, and families within autistic and neurodivergent communities.
Crisis prevention hotlines
LISTEN LINE (833) 488-9888
24/7 FREE Crisis Prevention Helpline
Will listen to you and connect you to resources that best fit your need.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, don't remain silent, help is available.
Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
Additional resources
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Care Plan Book
- Caring for a Relative/Kindship Care
- Emergency Preparedness for Families of CYSHCN
- Emergency Preparedness during school
- Lightning Bug App by PPCC - Help manage day-to-day medical details for your child's medical needs.
- Nutrition for CYSHCN
- Recall List/CPSC.gov - Search for product recalls.
- Signing Time - Introduce your child to over 1,000 signs and learn how to put signs together in sentences.
Social Security Benefits for Children (SSI) -- SSI provides monthly cash payments to help meet the basic needs of children who have a physical or mental disability or who are blind. If you care for a child or teenager with a disability, and have limited income and savings or other resources, your child may be eligible for SSI. To contact your local office, call 800.772.1213 or TTY: 800.325.0778 located at 805 Broadway St., Suite 500, Vancouver WA 98660