Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS)
Caring for Kids with Chronic Conditions
 
What is Children's Special Health Care Services?
Why join CSHCS?
Who can join?
What are the next steps?
What other help is available?
Why do I need to apply for MI-Child Health Insurance?
Location and Contact Information
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What is Children's Special Health Care Services?
CSHCS strives to enable individuals with special health care needs to have improved health outcomes and an enhanced quality of life through the appropriate use of the CSHCS system of care.
Our goals are to:
- Assist individuals with special health care needs in accessing the broadest possible range of appropriate medical care, health education and supports.
- Assure delivery of these services and supports in an accessible, family centered, culturally competent, community-based and coordinated manner.
- Promote and incorporate parent/professional collaboration in all aspects of the program.
- Remove barriers that prevent individuals with special health care needs from achieving these goals.
Services Provided
- Pays for specialty medical bills
- Provides help finding specialty services
- Supports coordination of services
- Helps families with language and cultural differences
- Assists in locating resources
- Connects families to community-based services through local health departments
Why join CSHCS?
CSHCS knows that the family is the prinicipal caregiver and the center of strength and support for children. Therefore, CSHCS and providers partner with the family for the best care. CSHCS may be able to help with:
- Learning about the CSHCS condition and specialty providers like doctors, hospitals, and clinics
- Paying specialty medical bills
- Covering co-pays and deductibles from private insurance
- Helping to keep private insurance
- Transportation needs for medical care
- Planning the transition of young people to adult health care
Who can join?
- Children and some adults with certain eligible medical conditions as determined by CSHCS doctors.
- Families of all incomes are eligible to join, including those with other health insurance
- Some families, based on their income, pay a fee to join CSHCS. To determine what CSHCS is likely to cover and whether this fee to join will be worthwhile, call the CSHCS contact at (269) 927-5679 or (269) 927-5620.
What are the next steps?
- Have the patient's specialist send a medical report to CSHCS
- If there is not specialist yet, call the local program representative at (269) 927-5620
- A CSHCS doctor will review the medical report and decide if the patient qualifies for CSHCS
- If the patient is eligible, an application will be mailed to the patient/family.
- When the application is received, the patient or family must complete and return the application to CSHCS. Coverage cannot begin until the application is completed and returned to CSHCS
- Those needing help completing the application can call the Family Phone Line at 1-800-359-3722
What other help is available?
The Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
A parent-directed section of CSHCS. Some services include:
- Family Phone Line 1-800-359-3722
- Advising CSHCS from the family prospective
- Conference scholarships
- Parent-to-Parent support
- Grandparent resources
- Sibling workshops
The Children with Special Needs Fund
A donor-supported program within CSHCS that may help families buy certain equipment such as:
- Van lifts
- Wheelchair ramps
- Therapeutic tricycles
- Air conditioners
For more information visit www.michigan.gov/csnfund or contact the Family Center at 1-800-359-3722
Why do I need to apply for MI-Child Health Insurance?
For some families, part of the CSHCS enrollment process requires submission of an application for MI-Child Health Insurance. You will need to submit a completed form within three months of enrollment in CSHCS. This requirement includes families who already have private health insurance for their child. Online and paper applications are available from the Michigan Department of Community Health.
Click here to apply for MI-Child.
Location of Services
- 769 Pipestone, Benton Harbor
- 1205 N. Front St., Niles.
- In home visits
CSHCS Contacts
- Nurse Coordinator: (269) 927-5679
- Program Representative: (269) 927-5620
For more information visit
www.michigan.gov/cshcs
or contact us at (269) 927-5620
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