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The Children with Special Health Care Needs Project: Needs Assessment Report

Executive Summary

This Needs Assessment report is part of a three-year contract between the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing (TXICFW) and the Texas Department of State Health Services for TXICFW to develop a best practices case management model specific to serving families with children with special health care needs (CSHCN). To better understand best practices case management model for CSHCN and their families in Texas, TXICFW conducted: 1) a literature review of existing research and best practices on providing care for CSHCN and their families, and 2) a Needs Assessment of how case management services are currently being provided to CSHCN and their families in Texas.

Literature Review

The literature review includes a review of best practice research on providing care for CSHCN and their families and best practices research on case management model development. A foundational resource that was identified during the review of literature on CSHCN was the National Standards for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, referred to as the National Standards of CSHCN in this report.

Needs Assessment of CSHCN Case Management in Texas

The Needs Assessment was a mixed methods research design that collected data from qualitative interviews/focus groups and a quantitative online survey completed by caregivers of CSHCN, CSHCN staff, and stakeholders. This Needs Assessment was guided by the following research questions with the goal of understanding how case management services are provided to CSHCN families in Texas by DSHS regional staff and CSHCN contractors.

1. What are the processes and protocols for providing case management to CSHCN?
2. What are the strengths and challenges in how regions are providing case management to CSHCN?
3. What are the issues that need to be considered in improving each of these 5 domains of CSHCN care (National Standards of CSHCN)?
   1. Identification, Screening, Assessment, and Referral
   2. Access to Care
   3. Medical Home and Care Coordination
   4. Community-based Services and Supports
   5. Transition to Adulthood

Recommendations

Based on the literature review and Needs Assessment findings, TXICFW presents the following recommendations for the development of the CSHCN case management practice model.

1. Improve Data Collection
2. Expand eligibility of case management programming to encompass mental/behavioral health
3. Continue DSHS Intake Process and Update Family Needs Assessment
4. Incorporate the CSHCN’s siblings when developing service plans and goals for CSHCN and their families
5. Strengthen collaboration and care coordination with providers
6. Establish consistency in transition age planning for CSHCN

Read the Report Here