G4 - CYSHCN Program Strategies for Addressing Family Financial Hardship

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Full Description: Financial hardship is common among all families raising children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), regardless of income. According to research conducted by the Catalyst Center, three pathways contribute to financial hardship for families raising CYSHCN, even when their children have health insurance: higher health care costs, higher routine expenses, and loss of employment income. Recent research highlights the “bi-directional” causality between family finances and the health of CYSHCN; namely, that family income and financial stability play an important role in child health, and a child’s health conditions impact family financial status.
State Title V agencies are well-positioned to address family financial hardship by drawing on their deep knowledge of systems of services for CYSHCN, their longstanding commitment to child health, and their relationships with CYSHCN, their families, community-based organizations, local health departments, and state Medicaid agencies. The flexibility of the Title V block grant program allows states to implement strategies that address family financial hardship as a way to support the health of CYSHCN.
In this workshop, a panel of speakers from Missouri, Vermont, and Colorado will highlight Title V CYSHCN program initiatives that address elements of family financial hardship.
Missouri’s Title V program offers Inclusion Services to support CYSHCN’s participation in childcare services. In addition to connecting families with resources, the program provides technical assistance and training to childcare providers to ensure that they are able to meet the specific needs of CYSHCN and support their growth and development. Access to inclusive childcare positively impacts family financial stability as it allows parents and caregivers to maintain employment.
Vermont’s Title V CYSHCN program collaborated with the state’s Medicaid agency to submit a waiver allowing parents to be paid as personal care attendants for their eligible children under temporary emergency authorities granted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This strategy acknowledges an unmet need for services caused by the pandemic while simultaneously providing families with a source of income.
Recognizing the role of financial stability in child health, Colorado established an Economic Mobility specialist role within their Title V program. This staff member leads efforts to address child poverty, including promoting access to the expanded Child Tax Credit.
Public health, and maternal and child health in particular, have long recognized the impact of financial hardship on child health outcomes. Drawing on well-established values, MCH leaders can develop creative, innovative strategies to elevate the importance of family financial stability and well-being in their states.

Abbreviated Description: Financial hardship is common among all families raising CYSHCN regardless of income. State Title V agencies are well positioned to address family financial hardship and the flexibility of the Title V block grant program has allowed states to support the health of CYSHCN through upstream initiatives to address family financial hardship. This workshop will present Title V CYSHCN program initiatives that address elements of family financial hardship, including inclusive childcare technical assistance and training in Missouri, paid family caregiving in Vermont, and a dedicated Economic Mobility specialist role in Colorado.