Health care
Raising Special Kids is Arizona’s Family-to-Family Health Information and Education Center. Family Health Centers provide information, training and assistance to families, connecting them to statewide resources for their children and youth with special health care needs.
To refer a family to Raising Special Kids, please visit our I'm a Professional page.
Raising Special Kids works to support the development of effective partnerships between parents and health care professionals. Through this project and others, we partner with health care providers, state agencies, programs for medical residents and student nurses, and with other community organizations. In working with professionals, our goals are to promote their understanding of the value of family-centered, culturally competent care so these principles are put into practice.
The Family-to-Family Health Information and Education Center builds on prior initiatives to represent the family voice in Arizona on issues related to children with disabilities and special health needs. Specific activities in statewide initiatives address access to care, electronic health records, emergency preparedness, insurance coverage, improving service delivery, and other important health care policy issues.
Our many years of collaboration and partnership with numerous state agencies and organizations enhance our ability to serve families -- especially those in rural and underserved areas. Our primary partner in this project is the Title V Program at the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN). We work closely with OCSHCN on a wide variety of projects such as:
- parent and youth leadership development
- family-centered care trainings for medical residents and student nurses
- pediatric transition to adult systems of health care
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) family outreach programs
- Title V Block Grant
- web-based trainings
- community development
Raising Special Kids is also the Arizona chapter of Family Voices, a national network which advocates for health care services and provides information for families of children and youth with special health care needs. Arizona's Family Voices chapter operates in partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN).
In 2004, Raising Special Kids received the first federal grant in Arizona for a Family-to-Family Health Information and Education Center from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In June 2007, Raising Special Kids was awarded a three-year federal grant to expand our project as a Family-to-Family Health Information Center with funding from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
For more information:
Wendy Benz, Coordinator of Family Health Information
phone: 602/242-4366, x218
email: wendyb@raisingspecialkids.org
Information on Healthcare Financing
Navigating public healthcare systems and understanding private insurance can be challenging. For assistance, please call us at 602-242-4366 or 800-237-3007. For information sheets on various agencies and organizations, please visit our page of downloadable materials.
New citizenship requirements
AHCCCS Members and Applicants who are United States (U.S.) citizens are now required to provide additional documentation of U.S. citizenship and identity.
Due to a change in Federal law, all individuals must provide proof of U.S. citizenship and identity when renewing or applying for AHCCCS health insurance benefits, including Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) and the KidsCare program.
For more information, visit http://www.azahcccs.gov/Members/citizenship.asp
"E" Newsletters - Healthcare B'AZ'ics:
Issue 1 - 
ENews Sept2005FINAL.pdf [170.00 Kb 7/27/2007]
Human Service Cooperatives
A new concept called the Human Service Cooperative (HSCSM) is transforming the traditional model for providing services to individuals with disabilities and their families. The state of Arizona is one of the first to be a part of this cooperative movement.
A Human Service Cooperative (HSCSM) is a group of individuals in need of human services that join together to create an organized network of support. HSCsSM become empowered to direct and control their human service needs for the benefit of the Membership.
Created and developed by Bohling Inc., an Arizona-based advisement firm, the HSCSM initiative is based upon the seven principles of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and promotes Self-determination and Self-direction in the field of human services. For more information on HSCsSM please log on to www.federatedhsc.coop or www.bohlinginc.com or email info@federatedhsc.coop or call Sara Wilson at (602) 404-7334.
Rise of Self-determination
The HSCSM initiative imparts that each Member is an owner/director who works alongside other Members to collectively direct their human service needs. The co-op becomes incorporated and applies through the state, in which the Members live, to become a certified human service provider. As certified providers, HSCsSM are able to partner with outside agencies and/or organizations to provide supports that best fit the needs of their Membership. Before a cooperative can be recognized as an HSCSM, they must meet the standards of quality set by the Federated Human Service Co-op.
The Federated Human Service Co-op (HSC) supports and networks between all of the individual HSCsSM throughout the country. The Federated HSC assists in the development of new HSCsSM, develops and offers resources to HSCs and provides mediation, consultation and assistance as problems and issues arise. In addition, the Federated HSC establishes quality assurance guidelines that co-ops are required to follow for HSC certification.
The Human Service Cooperative of Northern Arizona is the first HSCSM established. They incorporated in the fall of 2003 and filed with the state of Arizona to become a state-contracted provider of human services. They have since contracted with The Centers for Habilitation (TCH) to provide management and administrative support and the plan to be operational at the end of summer 2005. They will be offering Respite, Habilitation, and Attendant Care.
“I am honored to be a Member of the first human service cooperative,” said Amelia Phillips, vice president of the board of directors for the Human Service Cooperative of Northern Arizona, HSCSM. “Raising multiple children with special needs is exhausting on the best of days and the quagmire of agencies we have to deal with is cumbersome at best. As an owner/director I hope to be part of facilitating cooperation and partnering with agencies to streamline the process and be able to spend more time and energy doing my passion—raising my kids.”
The GALA, HSCSM is a second human service cooperative forming in Arizona. Based in Maricopa County, GALA, HSCSM is tailoring their services to support Latino children who have autism. They plan to be operational by the fall of 2005.
Several other HSCsSM are developing throughout the state of Arizona and California. The Federated HSC is also working with other states throughout the U.S. to explore HSCSM development in their communities.
Not only are individuals who use human services benefiting from the HSCSM movement but states such as Arizona and California are noticing the benefits cooperatives can provide. In addition to reducing the need for significant change in federal and state rules and regulations, the HSCSM initiative helps states progress in their shared quest to promote Self-direction in human services.
“Cooperatives will be effective and successful because families and individuals will increase their ability to directly control, manage and direct supports and services—families and individuals will be accountable,” said Dianne Wagemann, former director of Planning and Policy for the Division of Developmental Disabilities for the state of Arizona. “The state of Arizona is a leader in the design of many of its home and community home-based services and is moving forward with the human service cooperative initiative to provide more opportunities for individuals and families to increase their independence.”
The primary effort of the $600,000 C-PASS grant is to study and learn from the development of cooperatives and their effectiveness in Self-determination. Grant funds total 18 percent of project funds, additional contributions include 27 percent nongovernmental funds and up to 55 percent state waiver funds designated for service delivery.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming involved in an existing HSCSM or developing a new HSCSM please contact Sara Wilson at the Federated HSC, 602-404-7334 or info@federatedhsc.coop
Grant Renewed for Raising Special Kids
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has renewed a three-year project to Raising Special Kids as a Family to Family Health Care Information and Education Center. Arizona was one of ten states awarded projects in a national competition. The project places a primary emphasis on community collaboration and working with the Arizona Department of Health Services - Office of Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN) to enhance state capacity with other community programs and agencies. Activities include the following:
• Provide information on options in health care financing, state systems and state Medicaid requirements.
• Develop and strengthen community partnerships to promote family-centered practice.
• Promote the development of self-advocacy skills and awareness of healthcare policy issues.
• Develop initiatives to serve
families of diverse language and culture and those who reside in rural and underserved areas.
The Project Coordinator is Wendy Benz. Wendy brings a wealth of experience to the position including ten years as a Board Member and Parent Advocate on state agencies for Early Childhood Intervention in Texas and Connecticut. She Chaired the Texas Interagency Coordination Council (ICC), and served as Executive Director of an international professional association. She is a parent of a child with a disability.
You can contact Wendy at: wendyb@raisingspecialkids.org.
Raising Special Kids is a 501 © (3) nonprofit organization. All programs and services are offered at no charge to families. For more information, call (602) 242-4366, or (800) 237-3007 toll free.