In addition to their children’s needs, families of CSHCN may often benefit from services that help them to cope with the challenges associated with their children’s conditions. Family support services addressed in the survey include family counseling (mental health care for other family members), respite care (having someone else care for the child so the parents or other family members can take a break), and genetic counseling (for advice on inherited conditions related to the child).
Overall, family counseling is the support service most commonly needed by families of CSHCN, with the families of 12 percent needing this service. Nearly six percent reported needing genetic counseling, and 4.5 percent needed respite care.
