The Department of Health provides many services and benefits that target children’s health.
What is the program?
The Adolescent Dually Diagnosed Project is a pilot program conducted through four single-county authorities (SCAs). The program is for adolescents who need substance-abuse services and mental health services at the same time. Services are provided on an outpatient basis, through partial hospitalization, or on a shelter model.
Who qualifies?
Services are available to children age 12 to 18 who have a drug or alcohol problem and seem to have mental health difficulties (such as anxiety, depression, or any type of emotional trouble). The Adolescent Dually Diagnosed Project is open only to children who qualify and live in Philadelphia, Lackawanna, Somerset, or Allegheny county.
Where can I receive more information?
For more information, contact the Department of Health, Office of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Office of Program Development and Implementation, at 717-783-8200.
What is the program?
Under the Department of Health's Division of Rehabilitation, the Cardiac Program serves children who may have heart disorders. A child may have been born with the disorder or got it later. The program offers the following services:
Early identification and diagnosis
Laboratory studies
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Medical, surgical, and hospital care programs
Who qualifies?
Children up to age 22 who are Pennsylvania residents can qualify. They must register for the program to receive benefits.
Where can I receive more information?
For more information, contact the toll-free Special Kids Network helpline at 1-800-986-4550.
What is the program?
The Care Coordination program provides a coordinated network of services delivered locally to children with special health care needs (such as chronic illness or disability that limits their way of life) and their families.
The program offers the following services:
Reaching out to families and referring them to providers.
Finding out the child’s and family’s strengths and needs.
Developing a plan for how to provide care for the family.
Monitoring progress.
Providing follow-up care.
Services are available statewide.
Who qualifies?
Children up to age 21 who live in Pennsylvania can participate. Each child and his or her family will have a general eligibility screening and medical review to qualify.
Where can I get more information?
Contact the Department of Health, Division of Children's Special Health Care Needs, at 800-852-4453.
What is the program?
The program is run by the Department of Health's Division of Rehabilitation. It offers services to families with a child who needs help but is not receiving services from a cardiac, cleft palate, Cooley's anemia, cystic fibrosis, hearing and speech, hemophilia, orthopedic, spina bifida, or ventilator-assistance program.
The program offers the following services:
Laboratory testing.
Outpatient medication.
Nutritional supplements.
Adaptive equipment.
Supplies.
Limited inpatient care to find the cause of an illness.
Services are available statewide.
Who qualifies?
Children up to age 21 who live in Pennsylvania can participate. Each child must have a general screening and medical review to qualify.
Where can I get more information?
Contact the Division of Children’s Special Health Care Needs. (See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J.)
What is the program?
The program treats cleft lip and cleft palate in children which can cause speech problems, chewing problems due to missing teeth, badly shaped features on the face, and mental or emotional issues. The program also offers plastic surgery for the following problems if the child was born with it:
Defects of the external ear.
Defects of hands and feet.
Defects of the jaw and chin.
Cysts and tumors on the skin.
Scar tissue from burns.
Injuries that cause tissue defects to any part of the body.
Who qualifies?
Infants and children up to age 11 who live in Pennsylvania can participate. Each child must have a general screening and medical review to qualify.
Where can I get more information?
For more information, contact the Division of Children’s Special Health Care Needs. (See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J.)
What is the program?
This program checks children at an early age for speech, language, and hearing problems. It also offers the following services:
Management of medical and hearing-related care.
Speech and language testing and treatment.
Prosthetics and repairs.
Inpatient and outpatient surgery and hospital care.
Special medical tests to find the cause of a problem.
Interpreters.
Help with mental or emotional problems related to hearing.
Laboratory tests.
Parent counseling and training and periodic patient checkups are offered to help patients keep up the best possible health and speech, language, and hearing skills.
Who qualifies?
Services are available statewide to children up to age 21. Speech and language rehabilitation services are limited to children of preschool age who qualify. Each child must have a general screening to qualify.
Where can I get more information?
For more information, contact the Division of Children’s Special Health Care Needs. (See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J.)
What is the program?
The program services include diagnosis, orthopedic and prosthetic appliances, outpatient services, inpatient hospitalization, medical care and surgical care. Consultations and counseling services are also provided.
The program also supports two specialized cerebral palsy clinics (one in Pittsburgh at Children's Hospital, and one in Philadelphia Children's Hospital) that provide care across many medical disciplines and cover all aspects of this disease. Also, the program supports two special projects which provide specialized medical and rehabilitative care in a local community setting. These "linkage clinics" provide services across many medical areas, under the direction of regional tertiary centers. The Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh and Easter Seal Society of Berks County serve as "linkage clinics."
Who qualifies?
Infants and children up to age 21 who are Pennsylvania residents qualify for services. Each child must have a general screening and medical review to qualify.
Where can I get more information?
For more information, contact the Division of Children’s Special Health Care Needs. (See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J.)
What is the program?
The program provides case management, outpatient services, equipment, supplies, home nursing care, and consultant services to children with continuing breathing problems.
Who qualifies?
Infants and children up to age 21 who are Pennsylvania residents. Each child must have a general screening to qualify.
Where can I receive more information?
For more information, contact the Division of Children’s Special Health Care Needs. (See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J.)
What are the programs?
Modified School Health Services.
The program provides more in depth on-site school health services while controlling costs. Forty-four school districts have Modified School Health Services. About 380 certified school nurses have received training to be school nurse practitioners. Because of this program and the incentive to let certified nurse practitioners be paid back directly for EPSDT screens, many school nurse practitioners have tried to obtain certification and more widespread PSDT services in their schools.
Mandated School Health Services.
The Public School Code requires by law that certain health services and screens be provided to every child who is attending a public or non-public school.
Children in kindergarten or first grade, sixth grade and eleventh grade (developmental milestones) must have medical checkups. The examinations ensure that illnesses, or preventable/detectable conditions are identified in a timely way (hopefully before the condition gets too serious) and referred for diagnosis and treatment.
The School Code also requires that children’s eyes be tested each year. Children should have dental checkups in order to start school, and in third and seventh grades. Hearing tests are done on children in kindergarten, first, second, third, sixth and eleventh grades.
School nursing services are a very important part of all school health programs. The school nurse helps students prevent illnesses and provides care to sick students in a family-centered, private setting. The privacy that is given to children allows the school nurse to offer students a "safe haven," which is a safe place in which they can talk about their worries, concerns, and other stressful topics relating to school, family, neighborhood and peer group pressures.
To provide these services, schools are paid according to a certain formula.
School-Based Health Clinics
.
Six school-based clinic projects have been funded by the Department of Health at urban and rural sites. These pilot projects are designed to provide primary health care to elementary school children right at their school, and are connected to existing primary health care resources in the community. While school children may have access to emergency room health care, they may not have access to health care services that keep them well and prevent minor problems from turning into major problems. Through the school-based primary care program, students can receive a range of health services on site and their parents can learn more about health issues.
Services on site include: physical examinations, immunizations, growth assessment and development, diagnosis, and treatment for common illnesses. Schools work with primary health care providers in their communities to provide services on weekends and during school vacations. A current listing of the clinic locations with a brief description of each is included in Appendix B of this chapter.
Growing Healthy.
The Health Department funds school health education program that covers many topics for children in grades kindergarten through seven. Growing Healthy is a hands-on program that promotes self esteem and decision making skills and teaches students how to develop healthy, responsible attitudes and behaviors. Schools in 44 Pennsylvania counties have received Growing Healthy grants.
Where can I receive more information?
For more information about school health services, contact the Director of School Health Services, at 717-787-2390.
What is the program?
The Childhood Lead-Poisoning Prevention project sites screen children for lead poisoning and give medical referrals for reductions of lead hazards. The project sites also educate parents and others in the community about the hazards of lead to children and how to decrease them.
Who qualifies?
The program is free to children under age six via 10 projects in the following locations: Allegheny County, Philadelphia, Erie County, City of Chester, Montgomery County, York, Allentown, Harrisburg, Bethlehem, Northeast Vector, (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, Reading).
Where can I receive more information?
For more information, contact a local State Health Center or municipal county health department, or call the Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, at 717-772-2762.
What is the program?
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disabled Children's Program provides care coordination services for children with special needs, including aggressive outreach and counseling; referral for comprehensive assessment of medical, educational, social, developmental and rehabilitative needs; and community-based, family-centered coordination of many services. An individual family service plan is an important part of services. This special program allows for continuity of care, referral and care coordination services for SSI disabled children and children who qualify under Title V funding under the Department of Health.
Who qualifies?
Services are provided by 10 contractors in 30 counties throughout the state to children ages 16 and under who are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), as well as Title V- funded disabled children up to age 21. The local Social Security Office usually begins the referral process.
Where can I receive more information?
Contact the Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health. (See Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J.)
What is the program?
The Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project (TAPP) provides a wide range of pre-natal and maternity services to teenagers. The project covers the following: prenatal visits to a TAPP provider including medical care, patient education, nutritional counseling and referrals for other kinds of social service support; laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures; delivery fee paid to the TAPP provider; and one visit to the TAPP provider after the baby is born (postpartum visit).
Who qualifies?
Any pregnant woman under the age of 20 who is currently not covered by MA or not fully covered for prenatal care by any third party such as private insurance. Services are available statewide.
Where can I receive more information?
For referral to the nearest TAPP service site, contact the Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, at 717-772-2762.
What is the program?
Services are provided to pregnant teens and teens who are parents and are 17 years of age or younger. They are considered to be at risk because of drug and/or alcohol use.
The goal of this program is to enable these teens to have healthier pregnancies and babies and to help them be better parents. The program also tries to involve male participants and children of these teens to make sure that they receive important services.
Specific services include the following: identification of at-risk teenagers, screening for use of substances, referral to appropriate maternity and/or drug and alcohol treatment services, parenting skills training for pregnant and parenting teens, and establishment of a case management system for teenagers who are involved in the program.
Who qualifies?
The program serves pregnant and parenting teenagers, 17 years of age or younger, who have been substance abusers.
Where can I receive more information?
For more information, contact the Department of Health, Office of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Division of Prevention and Intervention, at 717-787-2606.
What is the program?
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program provides extra foods and nutrition education to pregnant, postpartum, and breast-feeding women, to infants and to young children from families who meet the income guidelines.
The program's services are designed to promote the healthiest possible pregnancies, deliveries and post-pregnancy experiences for mothers and infants, to improve their use of healthcare services, and to increase the chances for use of health programs that are started early in a pregnancy or shortly after birth.
Who qualifies?
Pregnant women, as well as women who have recently given birth and women who are breast-feeding, regardless of age, who do not have enough nutritional food and whose incomes are at or below 185% of the FPIG.
AND
Infants and children ages one to five who do not have enough nutritional food and whose families are at or below 185% of the FPIG.
Services are available in every county. For phone numbers, (see Chapter 338, Medical Assistance Benefits, Appendix J).
Updated February 14, 2012, Replacing February 8, 2002