The California Advocacy Network for
Children with Special Health Care Needs

The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health has established the California Advocacy Network for Children with Special Health Care Needs to engage individuals and organizations interested in advocating for a better system of care for these most vulnerable children.

 

What Is the Purpose of the California Advocacy Network for Children with Special Health Care Needs?

The Network is an effort to unify stakeholders, allowing them to speak with one voice to decision-makers about common issues pertaining to children with special health care needs. The Network does not replicate the many valuable efforts under way throughout the state by individual organizations. Instead, it offers a unique opportunity for a statewide, broad-based partnership to assemble the critical mass necessary to bring about significant change.

 

Who Belongs to the Network?

Anyone interested in improving the system of care for children with special health care needs is welcome to participate. Network members include children and their families, caregivers, providers, insurers, disease-specific advocacy organizations, educators, researchers, and public and private agencies.

 

How Do I Participate in the Network?

If you are interested in keeping informed as the Network continues to develop, please sign up.

 

What Will the Network Do?

The Network brings stakeholders together to create a shared agenda and to advocate for a higher quality system of care for children with special health care needs. The Network is intended to address issues that matter to all constituencies, such as:

• Ensuring adequacy of insurance coverage
• Ensuring access to pediatric specialty care
• Improving public/private financing and provider reimbursement
• Improving care coordination
• Involving families in the creation of public policies
• Addressing disparities in care
• Ensuring the transition to adult health care

 

Why Focus on Children with Special Health Care Needs?

California is home to 1.4 million children with special health care needs. Yet our state ranks last in the nation on a minimum quality of care index that assesses adequacy of insurance, provision of basic preventive care, and meeting minimal criteria for care that is ongoing, comprehensive, coordinated, and family-centered.

A recent study prepared by the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), Children with Special Health Care Needs: A Profile of Key Issues in California, documents the many ways the state is lagging in providing a high-quality system of care.

As medical care improves, the population of children with special needs continues to grow. It's imperative that the state have the services available to support the best medical outcomes for these children, and to enhance the quality of life for them and their families.

The Foundation also believes that improving the system of care for these children leads to better health care for all children.