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ABC FOR HEALTH INC

1. Project Identifier Information
   
   
   1. Project Title: ABC FOR HEALTH INC
   2. Project Number: H93MC00077
   3. Email address: bobbyp@safetyweb.org
   
   
2. Budget
   
   

   1. MCHB Grant Award Amount: (Line 1, Form 1)	$265,000
   2. Unobligated Balance: (Line 2, Form 1)	$0
   3. Matching Funds: (if applicable) (Line 3, Form 1)	$0
   4. Other Project Funds: (Line 4, Form 1)	$49,176
   5. Total Project Funds: (Line 5, Form 1)	$314,176
   The MCHB Grant Award Amount may differ from the total budget amount displayed on the Snapshots page due to grant actions that occurred after this report was submitted. These grant actions would include supplemental funding such as carryovers and extensions.

   
   
3. Type(s) of Service Provided
   
   
   • Enabling Service
   • Infrastructure Building Service
   
   
4. Project Description on Experience to Date
   
   
   1. Project Description
      
      
      1. Problem:
         
         WI lacks a coordinated statewide network of health care coverage education and training, health benefits counseling, and public policy developmentfor CYSHCN. The Covering Kids with Special Needs project is working to develop this managed advocacy system for private and public health insurance.
         
         
      2. Goals and Objectives: List up to 5 major goals and time-framed objectives per goal for the project.
         
         

         Goal 1:	Increase health care access for CYSHCN by decreasing the number of un/underinsured.
         Objective 1:	Provide direct health benefits counseling services to at least 300 families experiencing insurance or public benefits denials.
         Objective 2:	Develop a statewide, regionally based model for delivery of benefits counseling services to CYSHCN in coordination with Wisconsin's five Regional Centers with support from the MCH block grant, with training and technical assistance provided by ABC for Health.
         Objective 3:	Disseminate information about comprehensive and coordinated health care coverage options for families, using both private and public insurance.
         Goal 2:	Develop a collaborative and supportive network for parents, community professionals, and policymakers.
         Objective 1:	Provide training opportunities, with supporting educational information and outreach strategies, to HealthWatch committees.
         Objective 2:	Create, publish and distribute bi-weekly CKSN Update and quarterly CKSN Advocate.
         Objective 3:	Participate in policy discussions around the six core outcomes of Healthy People 2010 initiative, including state activities.
         Goal 3:	Promote public policy strategies and initiatives to decrease uninsured and/or increase coverage of the underinsured.
         Objective 1:	Facilitate and nurture the sustainability of HealthWatch committees aligned with the Regional CSHCN Centers.
         Objective 2:	Host final statewide CKSN meeting in conjunction with Covering Kids and Families meeting and launching of HealthWatch Wisconsin.
         Objective 3:	Identify barriers to insurance coverage that affect health outcomes for CYSHCN in minority and other special needs populations and develop strategies to address those barriers.
         Goal 4:	Maximize the effectiveness and quality of project interventions through strong monitoring and evaluation.
         Objective 1:	Utilize Access data base to collect and track client encounter information and follow up activity regarding CKSN activities.
         Objective 2:	Maintain data collection and anaysis to guide work plan progress assessment and adjustments, to ensure continuous quality improvement, and to furnish information relevant to the project's client service, training, information, and public policy goals.
         Objective 3:	Create final reports on client caseload, demographics, problems types, service needs, health care financing programs involved, services provided, and outcomes for review by project staff and regional center partners.

      3. Activities/Methodology undertaken to meet project goals:
         
         Each Regional CSHCN Center will maintain a HealthWatch committee with significant parent involvement that will meet at least bi-monthly to identify issues relevant to CYSHCN health care coverage and access, develop advocacy strategies, and work collaboratively to find solutions to problems. The HealthWatch members will receive trainings with supportive educational materials so that members will become well informed advocates for children. Additionally, ABC for Health project staff will provide direct health benefits counseling services to families having problems with health care coverage, adequacy of benefits and access to services. Regularly disseminated publications will be disseminated to stakeholders throughout Wisconsin.
         
         
      4. The first three Healthy People 2010 objectives which this project addresses are listed below.
         
         
         1. Related to Objective 16.23. Increase the proportion of Territories and States that have service systems for Children with Special Health Care Needs to 100 percent.
         2. Related to Objective 16.23: Increase the proportion of States and jurisdictions that have service systems for children with or at risk for chronic and disabling conditions as required by Public Law 101-239.
         3. Related to Objective 23.11 (Developmental) Increase the proportion of State and local public health agencies that meet national performance standards for essential public health services.
         
         
      5. Coordination: List the State, local health agencies or other organizations involved project and their roles.
         
         Collaboration is at the core of the Covering Kids with Special Needs project. The HealthWatch coalitions are affiliated with the Title V Regional Centers. These coalitions are comprised of family members, consumers, policy makers, administrators, providers, and payers. ABC is a partner with Family Voices' Family to Family Health Information Centers project, the Waisman Center's Healthy and Ready to Work initiative, and the Covering Kids and Families coalition.
         
         
      6. Evaluation : briefly describe the methods which will be used to determine whether process and outcome objectives are met.
         
         Monitoring and evaluation of the CKSN project will include: monitoring progress on work plan through weekly staff meetings; monthly activity reports from the HealthWatch committees; review of data resources for evidence of systemic problems and trends with the actions taken through the project to address them; agendas and minutes will be maintained for all meetings and distributed to participants; and key informant surveys will be administered.
         
         
   2. Continuing Grants ONLY
      
      
      1. Experience to Date :
         
         Activities supported by the Covering Kids with Special Needs project were rooted in years one and two of the grant matured and flourished during this third year of activity. There is active collaboration in Wisconsin between organizations and governmental agencies that support CYSHCN. Parents, providers, professionals, and policy makers are engaged in meaningful dialogue and direct service delivery to improve the health care coverage and access to this population of children. As a result of the CKSN project, ABC for Health provided direct health benefits counseling during calendar year 2004 to 314 Wisconsin families who have CYSHCN. Families were advised and assisted in obtaining, maintaining, and financing their health care needs. The health benefits services offered through ABC's Client Services program provide a direct link to understanding the barriers encountered by families and developing both individual and broader public policy solutions. The HealthWatch committees thrived during the third year of this project. The committees saw maturation in their membership and a deeper understanding of their charge and identification and discussion of issues of importance in their communities and community oriented strategies and policy solutions. Training events were a vital part of the project's activities. Information was disseminated at these events to participants can better understand issues and serve as informed advocates.
         
         
      2. Website URL and annual number of hits:
         
         URL: www.abcforhealth.org
         
         Number of hits: 240000
         
         
5. Key Words
   
   
   • Access to health care
   • Advocacy
   • Children with special health care needs
   • Health care financing
   • Health insurance
   • Information services
   • Medical home
   • Parents
   • Public policy
   • Training
     
     
6. Annotation:
   
   Improve access to health care coverage programs for children and youth with special health care needs. Parents, providers, professionals and policy makers will receive information, training, and the opportunity to participate in local, regional and statewide policy discussion forums. This project will further develop the knowledge and expertise of parents in successfully navigating health care systems that serve their children.
   
   

Are the Data Reported on this Form Provisional or Final?

Provisional

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