Help is available for parents and guardians
Public health nurses have the knowledge and skills to ease the burden and help parents with navigating the application process, finding physicians and providing support.
Help is available for parents and guardians of children and adults up to age 25 with
special healthcare needs such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, hearing loss, vision loss and more.
The Tuscarawas County Health Department is working to improve support for more families and children in Tuscarawas County by introducing them to the Complex Medical Help program, formerly known as the Children with Medical Handicaps Program.
The CMH program is a service within the Ohio Department of Health that helps connect families with special healthcare needs to a network of medical providers and helps families with payment for the services their child needs.
In the average year, 240 Tuscarawas County children and young adults receive assistance from the CMH program.
“We know this is an underutilized program, and we know there are more people in our community who could benefit from what this program has to offer,” said Amy Kaser, TCHD director of nursing. “Worrying about a child’s health is stressful, and our public health nurses have the knowledge and skills to ease the burden and help parents with navigating the application process, finding physicians and providing support.”
The diagnostic program allows individuals to receive services for up to six months from CMH providers to rule out or diagnose a special healthcare need. The treatment program can provide funding for services and/or medications related to an eligible condition, and the service coordination program helps families find and coordinate services for their child or young adult.
“There are many eligible conditions including juvenile arthritis, chronic lung disease, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, hemophilia, metabolic disorders, scoliosis and more,” Kaser said.
Call 330-343-5555 ext. 1240 or visit the TCHD at www.tchdnow.org.