Study - Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program: Helping Pediatric Practices Become Medical Homes for Low-Income Children
This study, conducted by The Commonwealth Fund, highlights the Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program (CCHAP) that is a nonprofit organization created to address barriers that have prevented private pediatric and family practices from accepting children enrolled in Medicaid and providing them with a medical home. CCHAP helps pediatric practices to meet the state's medical-home certification and receive enhanced reimbursement from Medicaid, while providing them with an array of support services, including care coordination, a resource hotline, and billing assistance. CCHAP also connects practices and families to community organizations and state and county agencies, and trains practice staff on how to identify children's needs and refer families to appropriate resources. A recent evaluation shows children covered by Medicaid and with a medical home in a private pediatric practice supported by CCHAP visit the emergency department less often, have more preventive care visits, and are less expensive for the state Medicaid program than children in non-CCHAP-affiliated practices.
Colorado Patient Navigator Training Program
This program offers a full curriculum designed to build patient navigator skills and knowledge. Courses and workshops relate to issues navigators deal with every day and are taught by patient navigation experts. A variety of formats make it easy to incorporate training into a navigator’s busy schedule including face-to-face workshops, online courses, and self-paced online tutorials. A patient navigator is a member of the healthcare team who helps patients "navigate" the healthcare system and get timely care. Navigators work with patients to identify their barriers to healthcare and connect them to the resources they may need such as financial assistance, counseling, language translation or transportation. Courses are for patient navigators, social workers, parish nurses, CNA’s and other community health care workers. They are intended for health workers who want a basic understanding of issues and practices related to advanced chronic disease. Those relatively new to assisting patients and families will benefit most.
AAP: Community Pediatrics Grant Database
The Community Pediatrics Grant Database archives previously funded Community Pediatrics grant projects, including those funded through the CATCH Program, the Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program, the Community Pediatrics Training Initiative and the Healthy People 2010 Chapter Grants. The database is searchable by seven major categories: target population, health topic, state/territory, project activity, AAP program, AAP district, and project year. Members of the AAP can obtain grantee contact information by searching through the Member Center. If you are not an AAP member, but have questions please contact docbi@aap.org.
State Implementation Grant (D70) for Improving Systems of Services for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)
Colorado State Department of Public Health and Environment - Abstract 
Grant Period: 2008-2011 (or 2009-2012, depending on which class they are)
Address: 4300 Cherry Creek South Dr., Denver, CO 80246-1523
Program Director: Kathy Watters
Phone: 303/692-2418 | E-mail: kathy.watters@state.co.us
National NICHQ Medical Home Learning Collaborative
A fifteen-month collaborative activity to improve care for the growing population of CSHCN. This initiative focuses on 3 practices in the state and assists them in completing a quality improvement process to provide medical homes to their patients with special needs. It also assists in building the capacity of Colorado's CSHCN and other health department programs to support and extend this approach after the completion of the project period.
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) Grants
Colorado is a lead on one of 10 CHIPRA grants, representing single-state projects and multi-state collaborations, from HHS to improve health care quality and delivery systems for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The money will help states implement and evaluate provider performance measures and utilize health information technologies such as pediatric electronic health records and other quality improvement initiatives.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Chapter - Colorado
Academy chapters are organized groups of pediatricians and other health care professionals working to achieve AAP goals in their communities. Chapters are the channels of representation for individual members of the Academy. Please contact your local chapter for additional state resources.
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Chapter - Colorado
The American Academy of Family Physicians is one of the largest national medical organizations, representing more than 94,000 family physicians, family medicine residents, and medical students.
Family Voices Chapter - Colorado
Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Through a national network, they provide families tools to make informed decisions, advocate for improved public and private policies, build partnerships among professionals and families, and serve as a trusted resource on health care.
Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs)
F2F HICs are non-profit organizations that help families of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and the professionals who serve them. F2F HICs are in a unique position to help families because they are typically staffed/run by parents of CYSHCN themselves, and as parents, they have traveled through the maze of services and programs designed to help CYSHCN. Staff at F2F HICs understand the issues that families face, provide advice, offer a multitude of resources, and tap into a network of other families and professionals for support and information. Family Voices, through the National Center for Family / Professional Partnerships, provides technical assistance, training, and connections to other F2F HICs and partnering organizations.
Family Voices Colorado
Address: 450 Lincoln Street Suite 100B, Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303/733-3000 | Fax: 303/733-3344 | Toll-Free: 800/881-8272
Primary Contact: Christy Blakely
Title V Block Grant to States
Title V of the Social Security Act is one of the largest Federal block grant programs. It leads the nation in ensuring the health of all mothers, infants, children, adolescents, and children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Title V is administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) as part of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
MCH Contact
Karen Trierweiler, Director, Center for Healthy Families and Communities
Address: CO Department of Public Health and Environment PSD-ADM-A4, 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246
Phone: 303/692-2481 | Fax: 303/782-5576 | E-mail: karen.trierweiler@state.co.us
Title V and Children with Special Health Care Needs
MCHB Objective: Support development and implementation of comprehensive, culturally competent, coordinated systems of care for the estimated 18 million U.S. children who have or are at risk for chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.
CSHCN Contact
Kathy Watters, Director, Children with Special Health Care Needs Unit
Address: 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246-1530
Phone: 303/692-2418 |
Fax: 303/782-5576 | E-mail: kathy.watters@state.co.us
Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Contact(s)
State EHDI programs promote universal newborn hearing screening, develop effective tracking and follow-up as a part of the public health system, promote appropriate and timely diagnosis of the hearing loss, prompt enrollment in appropriate Early Intervention, ensure a medical home for all newborns and strive to eliminate geographic and financial barriers to service access.
State Newborn Screening & Genetics Programs
Colorado Newborn Screening Program and Contact Information
From the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center Web site
Colorado Genetic Services and Contact Information
From the National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center Web site
Newborn Screening and Genetics Collaborative – HRSA Region 6
Translating research into practical health care services and systems to improve the health and quality of life of individuals with heritable disorders through Collaboration and Partnership
Early Intervention/Part C Coordinator
The Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C of IDEA) is a federal grant program that assists states in operating a comprehensive statewide program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages birth through age 2 years, and their families.
EI coordinator for children who are deaf and hard of hearing
Jennie Germano, Director Early Education Programs
Address: Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, 33 North Institute St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: 719/578-2116 | E-mail: jgermano@csdb.org
Director, Results Matter: Coordinates the child and family outcomes work for birth to five across both EI Colorado and general special education programs birth to five.
Nan Vendegna
Phone: 303/866-6602 | Fax: 303/866-6370 | E-mail: vendegna_n@cde.state.co.us
Web site
Section 619/Special Education for ages 3-5 Coordinators
This program provides free appropriate public education (FAPE) for children, ages 3 through 5 years, with disabilities:
Susan Smith, Section 619 State Coordinator
Phone: 303/866-6721 | Fax: 303/866-6370 | E-mail: smith_s@cde.state.co.us
State Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) Chairs
The ICC advises appropriate agencies on the unmet needs in early childhood special education and early intervention programs for children with disabilities, assists in the development and implementation of policies that constitute a statewide system, and assists all appropriate agencies in achieving full participation, coordination, and cooperation for implementation of statewide system.
Pam Christy, ICC Co-Chair
E-mail: pkchristy@earthlink.net
Lori Sanchez, ICC Co-Chair
Phone: 303/866-6710 (Christy) | Fax: 303/866-6662 | E-mail: lorisanchez6@aol.com
Web site
Medicaid
Medicaid is Title XIX of the Social Security Act and is a federal/state entitlement program that provides medical assistance to certain individuals and families with low incomes and/or special health care needs. Medicaid is of unique importance to children; together with the Children's Health Insurance Program, Medicaid insures over 1 in 4 children in the United States, with millions more eligible but currently unenrolled. The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program is a critical component of Medicaid, which guarantees that children enrolled in Medicaid are screened for medical or developmental problems early, and that necessary treatments and services are provided.
Medicaid State Director
For the most updated contact, please refer to the National Association of State Medicaid Directors Member List.
State Waiver Information
Waivers are the result of a process that allows state Medicaid agencies to apply for and receive permission from HCFA to provide services not otherwise covered by Medicaid and/or to do so in ways not described by the Social Security Act. Most Medicaid managed care programs require Waivers. The Waivers, which can differ greatly, are known by their numbers (1115, 1119), or as home-and community-based, or as Katie Beckett Waivers.
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
CHIP is Title XXI of the Social Security Act and is a state and federal partnership that targets uninsured children and pregnant women in families with incomes too high to qualify for most state Medicaid programs, but often too low to afford private coverage. Within federal guidelines, each state determines the design of its individual CHIP program, including eligibility parameters, benefit packages, and administrative procedures. The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) reauthorized the program through FY 2013, and includes many incentives for states to find and enroll more eligible children in both Medicaid and CHIP. CHIPRA also includes a number of quality provisions that aim to monitor and improve care delivered through the Medicaid and CHIP programs. Each state does have a CHIP program, and the names of these programs differ from state to state.
Children’s Health Insurance State Program Director
For the most updated contact, please refer to the CMS listing of CHIP Directors. 
Community Health Centers in the State
Federally-funded health centers care for you, even if you have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income. Health centers provide checkups when you're well, treatment when you're sick, complete care when you're pregnant, immunizations and checkups for your children, dental care and prescription drugs for your family, mental health and substance abuse care if you need it. For a listing of CHCs in Colorado, please use HRSA’s ‘Find A Health Center’ search engine.
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) State Profile
These state profiles provide a snapshot of how the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant works in specific states. The profiles detail the Federal funds appropriated to each state, state match, specific programs funded, numbers of people receiving services and state health needs.
AAP Issue Brief: Implementing the Medical Home in Medicaid, CHIP, and Multistakeholder Demonstration Programs
(AAP Member access only)
The Medical Home Issue Brief serves to provide guidance to AAP chapters working with states to implement medical home projects in Medicaid and CHIP as well as multipayer demonstration programs. It also addresses a number of the policy questions that frequently arise in creating state supports for the medical home.
Child Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) Medical Home Portal - Colorado State Profile
These state profiles provide a state’s medical home performance level for all children or children with special health care needs, based on national survey data.
National Adolescent Health Information Center (NAHIC) Adolescent Health Database
The NAHIC database includes national and state-level profiles of key measures of the health of adolescents and young adults, based on Healthy People 2010. Known as the Data Project, the online resource contains information on recent progress in key areas of adolescent health. National-level data is available by gender and race/ethnicity and also state-by-state, with summaries and data tables. The site also features information about data collection and presentation, state and national Excel files and guidance for using this data to improve the health of adolescents and young adults.
2010 KIDS COUNT Databook
The Annie E Casey Foundation has released the 2010 Kids Count report. The annual Kids Count report is a national and state-by-state profile of the well-being of America's children that seeks to enrich discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all kids. The 2010 Kids Count report data is available as an interactive databook, a complete PDF-format report , and on request, in print. Data and rankings on 10 key indicators of child well-being are available by state, county, and city.
Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program (CCHAP)
CCHAP is a non-profit organization devoted to ensuring that every child enrolled in Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) receives comprehensive health care from a primary care provider – a medical home and all pregnant women covered by Medicaid or CHP+ receive comprehensive prenatal services.
COLORADO'S "VISION" FOR MEDICAL HOME
A medical home is not just a building, house or hospital, but a team approach to providing health care. A medical home originates in a primary health care setting that is family-centered and compassionate. A partnership develops between the family and the primary health care practitioner. Together they access all medical and non-medical services needed by the child and family to achieve maximum potential. The Medical Home maintains a centralized, comprehensive record of all health related services to promote continuity of care. Children with special health care needs may have many professionals invested in their physical and emotional well-being. Coordination of care is an essential activity to assure communication and planning amongst team members, including family, primary health care practitioners, specialists, community programs and insurance plans.
Medical Home Strategic Planning Team
JFK Partners
JFK Partners is a multifaceted Interdepartmental Program of the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Designated as Colorado's University Affiliated Program by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities and as Colorado's LEND Program (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) by the Maternal Child Health Bureau, JFK Partners has strong collaborative relationships with numerous organizations that are a part of Colorado's developmental disability and special health care needs communities.
Information for Care Coordinators:
