What About Some Original Ideas, Innovation, and Change?

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Permalink Reply by Charles Shinaver on May 6, 2008 at 12:21am

Thanks Kristina. I have been up late working on a revision of my website.

I need to go to bed!!!

Charles

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Permalink Reply by Lynda Peterson on April 22, 2009 at 8:52am

OK.. there is innovation, growing steadily. Indiana might be ranked at the “Back of the Pack” in overall well-being in the Gallup survey, but a unique collaboration between two local organizations provides improved healthcare and lower costs for low-income Indiana families.

A partnership between About Special Kids (ASK) a Parent to Parent organization, and MDwise, a Medicaid managed care organization, has created a model for other states to follow. Recently asked to speak at a national conference in Washington D.C., ASK and MDwise were applauded as innovators in family involvement healthcare.

ASK helps families of children with special needs navigate complex systems to access what they need to better care for their child. MDwise manages Indiana Medicaid programs for low income families and for children and persons with disabilities. MDwise refers children with special needs directly to ASK parent liaisons as a quality initiative. Through ASK, families gain valuable knowledge about systems, resources and options and receive peer support from parents of children with special needs.

A case manager stated, “Whenever I have a child that seems to just be lost in the system, and their family or the social workers at the hospital are just not sure what to do, I have found that ASK has always been able to help, and I have heard more than once from social workers, and case managers that you made the difference in the quality of life that the special kids in our state have.” Karla, LPN Case Manager.

Both ASK and MDwise were involved with legislation for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and understood how complicated the system is for families who often don’t know where to begin or what to ask. They formed their partnership in 2002 and have served over 1,400 families. ASK has trained over 400 MDwise professionals on complex topics such as health care financing programs for children with special needs, special educational rules and regulations, child care options, and community resources.

MDwise and ASK also have partnered to develop a tool to improve communication between the school system and a student’s primary care physician. Rebecca Anderson, a parent of two adopted children with significant mental health needs said, “It was great knowing I had someone who understood what we are going through. I wish I would have known about it a long time ago!”
Because of the information she obtained from ASK, one of her children is now enrolled in a new state mental health program that provides a team of mental health professionals that Anderson says is “absolutely wonderful”. The family is now getting more intensive support at home, instead of the child being institutionalized, such as respite care, therapy, and coordination between school and community based personnel.

This partnership has also benefited MDwise case managers in what they do. MDwise case manager Karen Rogers said, “The staff at ASK has been an invaluable resource to me, as a nurse case manager! They act as advocates at school case conferences. They provide contact names and numbers when patients have social needs, such as help with rent or utilities, illiteracy, food, clothing or furniture, parenting skills, support groups for uncommon conditions, and programs for obtaining a GED, only to mention a few.

In addition, ASK provides educational/informational in-services throughout the year to help us understand the available programs as well as providing a peek into the harried and multifaceted lives of the parents caring for special needs children. I don't know that I could be as effective in my position without them.”

Nancy Stone, Project Director for ASK said, “This partnership between ASK and MDwise is a great example of how much we care about Indiana families and their children. Our only agenda is helping them find the best possible care.”

Visit www.aboutspecialkids.org

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