Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs

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Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs

Introduction

This Health Care Program will generally focus on children with special needs in the society. The program or the HCP is a general resource for various families, communities, and health care providers. The Health Care Program will be seeking to ensure admittance to integrated, culturally competent, family-centered, family services and community-based programs with the youth and children with special needs. In this case, this Health Care program will work closely with various public health agencies and state agencies in implementing three main programs components (Costin, 2000 p. 56). The three program components are, Medical Home Systems Developments, Regional Rural Pediatric Specialty health facilities and HCP Care Coordination. Generally, HCP defines youth and children, who have special health care needs because they are at risk of having chronic physical, behavioral, developmental, or emotional conditions. In this case, this category of people requires effective health or related services for their own benefits. In doing this prog5ram, the Health Care Program for the youth and Children with special needs will define its aims, goals, and the population it intends to serve. The project will elaborate the importance of HCP to the children with special needs. Additionally, the project will give a brief summary of the project’s evaluation plan and the rationale of the entire evaluation plan. In this aspect, the rationale of the program will be seeking to address various design issues, which are relevant. Lastly, the paper will give an analysis of some of the main factors, which influence utilization and dissemination success of the evaluation findings (Costin, 2000 p. 49). 

Vision: All the children in the region who have special health care requirements will be integrated, valued, and treated.

Mission: The Health Care program aims at ensuring that the children with special needs get the opportunity to develop, learn, and grow to become highest individual potential.

The Health Care program aims at helping the youth and children with Special needs in various parts of the United States with special emphasis on Texas. The Health Care Program will serve youth below the age of 21.

Objective: The Health care program main objective is to ensure that the youth and the children who have special needs are provided with the necessary chance to develop, learn, and acquire knowledge for the purposes of becoming highest individual potentials.

The Health Care program also aims at helping the children with special needs a chance to grow like other normal children.

How the Health Care Program help

The Health Care Program for the youth and Children with special needs will be of great help for many families. Generally, the programs will be essential in finding a health care provider or a doctor who will take care of the children in need. The program will also provide a developmental screening for the development of the children (Thomson, 200 p. 30). Additionally, the program will be essential to the community in terms of resource providence. Alternatively, is essential for providing family support, answering questions and providing high-related information. The Health Care program will provide care coordination for the families of the youth and children who are experiencing traumatic brain injuries.

As part of the program, the Newborn Hearing Screening Program will provide coordination in hospitals. The program will also provide assurance to the newborn children that the hearing screening programs are available to the children in Texas and that there is an availability of consultations for the families in case they need it. The program will also ensure that the affected families receive proper information regarding the diagnosis and development concerns of their children (Costin, 2000 p. 87). In this case, the Health Care Program staff will contact the affected families and assure them that they will be taken care of and given the right services in the community (Thomson, 2007 p. 30). The program will ensure that the public health nurse, dietician, social workers, physical therapists, and audiologist are available for the affected families for consultation purposes. These groups of people will also be important in providing information, referral services and family support to the affected families.

Eligibility for the program

The Health Care Program will be eligible for families who have youths and children with special care needs from birth to the age of 21. The Program will entirely focus on Children in the Texas region. There would be no financial criteria to engage in the program. This aspect would not limit the affected families the chance to enroll in the program (Moore, 2010 p. 68). 

Summary of the Evaluation Plan

Objective Strategies Indicators of process Indicators of impact Data collection methods

The Health care program main objective is to ensure that the youth and the children who have special needs are provided with the necessary chance to develop, learn, and acquire knowledge for the purposes of becoming highest individual potentials.

The Health Care program also aims at helping the children with special needs a chance to grow like other normal children. To ensure that the program effectively caters for all the needy children in the Texas community, the Texas Department of Public Health will engage in various strategies and programs. One of the main strategies the department will use is training.

Training in this aspect will include FY14 Health Care Program Overview Training courses and FY14 Training Companion Documents.

The Program will also use Health Care Program Brochures in both Spanish and English. Additionally, the Program will engage in early Interventions or rather EI.

Some of the strategies that the Program will engage in include Collaborative Guidelines, Health, and Development implications, and over viewing of the early intervention processes.

The Health Care Program will also use Simple Networking Analysis Tools, sector mapping and Integrated Services projects as part of its strategy.

The Program will also use the respite Care as part of its strategy. In this case, the program will use the Fast Facts for the affected families, Easter Seals and Discovery Club. Additionally, the program will also enact the Child Care Connections.

The indicators will be used in the program planning and evaluation by first selecting outcomes, which are achievable, and then determining model logic pathway for some of the selected outcomes.

Interventions will be designed to create individual impacts on the children health behavior and risk factor thus on the Texas population. Additionally, the program planning systems and policy change strategies will correspond to the short-term outcome indicators.

The short-term outcomes include,

Health care systems changes

Worksite changes,

Changes in Health Care providers

Community Changes

Intermediate Outcomes include, Medication adherence, Individual behavior Changes, Average Disability Control

The Long-term outcomes include the longer-term mortality reduction

Measuring short-term indicators impacts using a logic model pathway will allow the programs to recognize the gaps while implementing the program thus before finishing an evaluation comprehensive, which will focus on long-term outcomes. Gaps Identification will be essential in allowing the programs during the modification interventions during the early stages of the program. This will therefore be effective in improving the chance on the ultimate outcome.

The impact of Indicators in such programs will be essential in saving time, opportunity costs, and resources.

Pathways through logic models means that a series of if then declarations.

This Health Care will use five different methods of Data Collections Methods

The Five methods Include,

Focus Groups

Surveys

Community Resource Inventories

Community Forums and Hearings from the Public

Key Informant Interviews

Strategies

To ensure that the program effectively caters for all the needy children in the Texas community, the Texas Department of Public Health will engage in various strategies and programs. One of the main strategies the department will use is training.

Training

Training in this aspect will include FY14 Health Care Program Overview Training courses and FY14 Training Companion Documents.

Health Care Program Brochures

The Program will also use Health Care Program Brochures in both Spanish and English. Additionally, the Program will engage in early Interventions or rather EI. Some of the strategies that the Program will engage in include Collaborative Guidelines, Health, and Development implications, and over viewing of the early intervention processes.

Simple Networking Analysis Tools

The Health Care Program will also use Simple Networking Analysis Tools, sector mapping and Integrated Services projects as part of its strategy. The Program will also use the respite Care as part of its strategy. In this case, the program will use the Fast Facts for the affected families, Easter Seals and Discovery Club. Additionally, the program will also enact the Child Care Connections.

Indicators of process

The indicators will be used in the program planning and evaluation by first selecting outcomes, which are achievable, and then determining model logic pathway for some of the selected outcomes. Interventions will be designed to create individual impacts on the child’s health behavior and risk factor thus of the Texas population. Additionally, the program planning systems and policy change strategies will correspond to the short-term outcome indicators.

The short-term outcomes include Health care system changes, Worksheet changes, Changes in Health Care providers, and Community Changes. Additionally, the Intermediate Outcomes include, Medication adherence, Individual behavior Changes and the average Disability Control alternatively the Long-term outcomes include the long-term mortality reduction.

Impacts of the Indicators

The indicators will have a positive impact on the program. The impact of Indicators in such programs will be essential in saving time, opportunity costs, and resources. Measuring short-term indicators impacts using a logic model pathway will allow the programs to recognize the gaps while implementing the program thus before finishing an evaluation comprehensive, which will focus on long-term outcomes. Gaps Identification will be essential in allowing the programs during the modification interventions during the early stages of the program. This will therefore be effective in improving the chance on the ultimate outcome.

Data Collections Methods during the Health Care Program

Focus Groups

In this case, the group will have a guided group discussion with at least seven to twelve individuals from almost similar backgrounds. In this case, the group discussion will have a skilled moderator, and a recorder to record some of the discussions that is taking place. The moderator will then guide the group into various increasing focus levels and some of the key issues in the entire discussion topic (Lighter, 2000 p. 76). 

The Focus group will use at least 1 to 2 hours in a span of 7 days. The expertise at this level will be moderate with each at low costs.

The focus groups will be essential in helping the program needs assessments. Here, the focus group will generate new ideas, provide preface guidance that concerns Children with Health care needs issues and provide insights and opinions of the Texas population. Additionally, the Focus Groups will identify some of the key issues in the program and further follow up the issues (Lighter, 2000 p. 95). 

The Health Care Program will form various Focus groups depending on the information that is needed for the program. The Conduct groups that are employed in each geographic region will be required to at least produce meaningful difference.

Formulation of the questions to be asked

While formulating the questions to be asked, the groups must decide on some of the decisions that are needed depending on the data. The questions should vary depending on the health care needs of the children.

Key Informant Interviews

Key Informant Interviews will entail one on one interview with some of the people who represent some of the important regions in Texas. The people giving out the information must at least be knowledgeable or have experience about the issues at discussion (Carey, 1995 p. 87).  Alternatively, the interviewer must be skilled and will use extensive open-ended questions for the purposes of obtaining the required information (Lighter, 2000 p. 96).  Additionally, the interviewer must always allow respondents to express out their understanding on their own. Most interviews will be estimated to at least take a period of 1 hour.

Significance of the Interviews in the Health Care Programs

The interviews will provide an informed perspective from various angles. Generally, the interviews will focus on the assessment needs on particular issues facing the Texas State and in doing so, the Program will know where and how to handle the situation. Additionally, the interviews will obtain concrete statements on the needs of the Children facing Health care problems. Lastly, the interviews will increase awareness of the services and agencies to provide the health care for the children (Joint Commission Resources, 2001 p. 67). 

Generally, the interviews will be conducted for the Texas community, regions, program administrators, and some of the children experiencing the health care needs. Additionally, non-governmental organizations and behavioral scientists will also take part in the interview.

To avoid any pitfalls during the interview, the interviewer must always have specific questions guides. The interviewer must always ensure that the participants taking part in the interview are clear while answering the questions asked. Additionally, the moderator must always be skilled and knowledgeable (Joint Commission Resources, 2001 p. 69). 

Community Forums and Hearings from the Public

Community forums are generally a series of meetings held in public or the community for the purposes of defining and discussing some of the community needs. This data collection method will be less formal but open to the public. In most cases, the testimonies given would be selected from a few witnesses (Fonseca-Becker, 2008 p. 56).  

Rationale

The rationale for the Health Care Program for Children with special needs is to ensure a consistent admittance to integrated, culturally competent, family-centered, family services and community-based programs with the youth and children with special needs. Additionally, the program seeks to ensure an enhanced partnership for the purposes of delivering a Healthy Child program (Klein, 2001 p. 67). Additionally, it will identify some of the needs of the children for achieving quality outcomes for young people, children and assisting the parents in taking care of them.

Children and youth with special health care needs should always experience a framework, which meets their individual requirements. All Children with special needs must be in a position to access better health care facilities as soon as their parents realize they have issues and needs. In this case, the children with special needs will be known at the earliest possible opportunities by their parents or teachers that they are fully aware of indicator concerns and the required procedures (Klein, 2001 p. 45). Identification of such problems and needs of the children will highly depend on the interrelationship between the parents and the children.

Assessment: In this case, the pathway will consider educational, wider health and social needs of the youth and the children.

Partnership Working: No profession or organization will ensure the best results for the children and youths with needs. This will therefore mean that the pathway will almost be successful especially where information sharing, consistent communication and regular meetings are available. In this case, partnership pathway will identify some of the needs, responsibilities and the professionals who will coordinate and advocate the process of taking care of the children with special needs.

Clarification of Roles: The Health Care facilities in the Texas State will lead the process of advocating the health care program for the children with needs.

Purpose

The main purpose of this policy is to identify special needs among the children and youth in Texas and ensuring that, the health care providers and teachers are familiar with the DfES Code of Practice during the identification and the assessment of special needs. Additionally, the program aims at ensuring that various acts that deals with children with special needs are enacted and put into practice (Klein, 2001 p. 53). In this case, it will also ensure that the Revised Code of Practice is enacted. The program also aims at assessing every child’s needs. Lastly, it aims at liaising with various agencies for the purpose of an effective enactment of the program. In this case, the program will liaise with educational and health authorities and seek support, advice and training.

System

Generally, children learn from interactions with fellow children therefore, ensuring that the children with special needs get the opportunity to interact will be essential for them for their development. Instead, enrolling the children with special needs in nursery schools will be essential towards the development of the children with special needs. In most cases, nursery schools are committed to working with children who have disability issues.

Key issues while designing the pay for the program

Before enacting this program, one of the most important issues to consider is the program will get its funding. Generally, the program cannot run without proper funding. Therefore, the program will need various sponsors and stakeholders to fund it (Mccullough, 2010 p 79). One of the most efficient ways of raising funds for this program will be through shared savings.

Shared Savings

In this case, shared savings will entail payment strategies, which offer incentives for some of the provider entities for reducing the health care spending for patient population which is defined by giving them net savings percentages attained by their efforts. Application of the shared saving in this type of program is ideal because of the population the program intends to cater for. Shared savings will depend on the arrangements made by the health care facilities and their patients. Alternatively, patients who are covered by insurances will also be included by some arrangements (Miller, 2006 p. 90).

Timing

The program is expected to be a long-term one for the purposes of ensuring that the future of the needy children is met. This will mean that the entire program would be costly thus needs enough funding.

Conclusion

The success of the program will mainly depend on the funding of the program. With enough funds at the program’s disposal, the initiative will definitely progress without any hitches. Other issues that will contribute to the successful dissemination of the program are proper planning of the program and the availability of proper management of the plan to ensure an effective running of the program.

Bibliography

Carey, R. G., & Lloyd, R. C. (1995). Measuring quality improvement in healthcare: a guide to statistical process control applications. New York, Quality Resources.

Costin, D., Eden, J., Reimer, J., & Watters, K. (2000). Care coordination for children with special health care needs enrolled in CHP+ or Medicaid: a public health model offered by essential community providers. [Denver, Colo.], Dept. of Public Health and Environment, Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs.

Fonseca-Becker, F., & Boore, A. L. (2008). Community health care’s O-process for evaluation: a participatory approach for increasing sustainability. New York, NY, Springer.

Joint Commission Resources, INC. (2001). Cost-effective performance improvement in behavioral health care. Oakbrook Terrace, IL, Joint Commission Resources.

Klein, M. D., Cook, R. E., & Richardson-Gibbs, A. M. (2001). Strategies for including children with special needs in early childhood settings. Albany [etc.], Delmar.

Lighter, D. E., & Fair, D. C. (2000). Principles and methods of quality management in health care. Gaithersburg, Md, Aspen Publishers.

Mccullough, C. S. (2010). Evidence-based design for healthcare facilities. Indianapolis, IN, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Miller, K. M., & Wyllie, C. (2006). Planning, design, and construction of health care facilities. Oak Terrace, IL, JCAHO.

Moore, L. (2010). The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Special Needs a reassuring, informative guide to your child’s well-being and happiness. F+W Media.

Thomson, V. R. (2007). A programmatic analysis of a newborn hearing screening program for evaluation and improvement. Dissertation Abstracts International. 68-11. Thesis (Ph.D.)–University of Colorado at Boulder, 2007.