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Champions for Inclusive CommunitiesCh~rmpiar~s far inclusive Comrnunities Early Intervention Research Institute • 6586 Old Main Hill • Logan, UT 84322-6586 • 1-800-887-1699 • www.championsinc.org November 2, 2009 Hello, Dubuque, Iowa was selected for the Community Recognition Program by Champions for Inclusive Communities because they have been successful in achieving community-based service systems for children with special health care needs and assuring family-centered care for all children. Champions for Inclusive Communities, an MCHB-funded national center, would like to recognize this community from your area and share their successes! Attached is a press release honoring their work on behalf of children, youth, and families; a fact sheet with more information about their partnerships; and a fact sheet about Champions for Inclusive Communities. Thank you for your time, ~d'~2 Cora Price Star Community Coordinator Champions for Inclusive Communities tel: 800-887-1699 email: cora.price a,usu.edu i a ~~ UtahStateUniversity CENTER FOR PERSONS Wf~Fi DISABILRIES Press Release: Dubuque County, Iowa recognized as "Star Community" by Champions For Inclusive Communities Dubuque County, Iowa has been recognized as a "Star Community" by Champions for Inclusive Communities, a national center designed to support communities in organizing services for families of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). Dubuque County is an excellent model of providing organized, easily accessible services and supports to children and youth with special needs. ChampionsInC is a project at the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD's) Early Intervention Research Institute at Utah State University, funded by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Dubuque's key to successful community-based services is the Community Circle of Care, a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded program in partnership with the Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics, the University of Iowa's Center for Disabilities and Development and the Iowa Department of Humans Services. The Community Circle of Care provides wrap around services to children and youth with serious emotional or behavioral challenges. Wrap around services mean the family creates a plan that is based on their unique needs and strengths, developed in coordination with community partners. Planning includes immediate issues and future needs, such as transitioning to independent adult living. The Community Circle of Care is successful partly because of its focus on families. Parents serve on the planning council and local advisory boards, and significantly contribute to the Circle of Care's monthly newsletters that go out to the families it serves. The Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), a local organization that provides home services, is an important partner of the Community Circle of Care in promoting the concept of a "medical home." A medical home is not a physical place, but a way of proving coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered care to children and their families. The VNA connects primary care providers with the Community Circle of Care, reminding them that the Community Circle of Care is the local "go-to" when it comes to mental health services for children and youth. The connections made by Community Circle of Care also lead to screening referrals from partners such as schools, health clinics, WIC, and oral health screening programs. One of the benefits for families in the Dubuque County community is the ability to receive wrap around services when it comes to insurance and financing. Circle of Care assists families with funding for services they cannot afford while simultaneously helping them find an appropriate insurance provider. Teens with special needs in Dubuque are provided with skills to help them prepare to transition to adult life. Schools in the community provide many of the services through a transition coordinator. The Community Circle of Care's Elevate program also guides youth in the process of moving out and finding a job. To find out more about the efforts of Dubuque County and the Community Circle of Care in providing community-based services for CYSHCN and their families, visit the Star Communities page on the ChampionsInC website: http://www.championsinc.or reco ign tion/ or contact: Vickie Miene, Project Director Gloria Klinefelter, Key Family Contact 888-583-5545, ext. 602 888-583-5545, ext. 606 yckie-miene(a~uiowa.edu gloria-klinefelter(a~,uiowa.edu Lnampifvns rvr ~nauswe wmmumz~es Star Community ~~ Dubuque, Iowa is a community located in the tri-state area along the banks of the Mississippi River near the Wisconsin and lllinois borders. Over four years ago, families in the area spoke up and said they were not happy with the way services were organized, and that they wanted a "single point of contact," or none-stop-shop to access services to meet their children's needs. This concept of a single point of contact, or "lighthouse," was gradually turned into a reality by the Community Circle of Care, northeast Iowa's gateway into providing coordinated services to families. The Community Circle of Care, a partnership of the Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics, the University of Iowa's Center for Disabilities and Development and the Iowa Department of Humans Services, is funded through a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant, which is now in its thix{ year. It provides wmmuruty-based wraparoru~d services to families of children and youth with serious emotional and behavioral challenges. This wraparound plan is-coordinated by a team of professionals, community supports, and, of course, the family. The plan also addresses other health needs, iiclud'urg physical health, in order to fully address the needs of children with multiple diagnoses and their families. services are so comprehensive for the families' needs that the family often feels no need to return to a medical home. However, the community has recently made large strides to change this. For the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), which is one of Community Ciele of Care's community partners, medical homes have been a priority for some time. The VNA encowages medical homes by performing social marketing between primary care providers and Community Circle of Care. Essentially, the VNA works to remind primary care providers that the Commwity Circle of Cam is the "go- to" when it comes to mental health services for their patients who are children and youth. Families: The Center ofthe Grcle Families are at the center of the Community Circle of Care in many ways. They serve on the planning council and local advisory boards, and contribute significantly to the Circle of Care's monthly newsletters. Their voices are heard through swveys and phone calls asking their opinion. Clinics have a paid family consultant on staff and a social worker to provide care coordination. And, perhaps most helpful of all, they participate in the local parent support groups and family activities. Parents who attend these support groups share their struggles, learn about what services are available in the community, and leans how to be a good advocate for their child One parent of a son with epilepsy and a variety of mental health diagnoses tells of feeling slightly out-of- touch upon moving to the Dubuque area She says, "I had a need to connect with other parents who were going through the same thing as me." When a staff member from the Community Circle of Care referred this mother to the parent support group, it was a breath of flesh air and "hugely helpful." Community Partners One of Commwity Circle of Care's keys to success is its array of community partners. Local businesses have been known to donate space for events like parent support group mcetings and provide discounted services to families. The planning council also partners with non-business entities such as schools, local agencies that serve families and youth, and the juvenile court system. This committee meets quarterly arnd also involves parents and youth indecision-making. Communication in the Medical Home The Community Ciele of Care has experienced challenges with the medical home concept simply because thei• individualized wraparound The VNA also acts as the informant for medical home providers who need someone to fill them in on what is happening in the Dubuque. One way she keeps these providers connected is by forvvardu1g them resources such as the Circle of Care newsletters. Screening Communication between the primary care providers, the VNA, and Community Circle of Care is important because in Dubuque, the primary care provider often does much of the screening. Knowing What makes a Star Community? ChampionsInC has created the Star Communities program to recognize exceptional communities. Star Communities will show excellence in 6 Performance Measures: • Families are partners • A "Medical Home" provides coordinated care- s Children receive early and conkinuous screening • Families have adequate funding/insurance to pay for services • Services are organized so families can use them easily and are satisfied • Youth receive necessary services to make the transition to adult life read about other Star Communities at www.ChampionslnCorg www.Cha m pions) nC.org Champions For Inclusive Communities (ChampionslnC) is a national leadership and resource center designed to support states and communities in organizing services so families of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) can use them easily and families are satisfied. The implementation of community-based service systems is a key component of Healthy People 2010 as stated in its Objective 16.23: To increase the states and territories that have service systems for children with special health care needs. ChampionslnC can help your state and/or community in achieving this national goal. What ChampionslnC offers Contact Us: Early Intervention Research A variety of technical and web-based resources are available from ChampionslnC to assist states institute, Utah State university and communities in their community-building efforts: 6580 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-6580 • Technical Assistance -States and/orcommunities that need support in building partnerships, developing and implementing an action plan, and measuring outcomes can contact ~_gp0-887-1699 ChampionslnC staff for guidance and assistance. Richard Roberts: • www.ChampionslnC.org - Our website provides resources for policymakers, providers, and richard.robertsC~usu.edu families interested in improving services for CYSHCN. A Discussion Forum is being developed to provide a way for those involved in community building to share challenges and solutions. Diane Behl: diane.behlC~usu.edu • Champions E-newsletter - This bi-monthly newsletter provides an exchange of Ginger Payant: information about resources and opportunities related to integrated community services. g;nger.payantC~usu.edu Links to community-based initiatives, such as funding and technical assistance opportunities, serve as a resource to support and sustain community efforts. • Community Tool Box -This interactive, web-based tool provides step-by-step instructions for community teams interested in developing action plans and organizing services. • Evidence-Based Practices -Reviews of the literature in areas such as care coordination, community coalition building, and racial disparities are available to help communities implement effective strategies. • Community Recognition Program -This recognition process will acknowledge the efforts of communities across the U.S. that are developing sustainable mechanisms to organize services so families can use them easily. Champions for Inclusive Communities How Communities Organize Services The goal, "Community-based service systems are organized so that families can use them easily and are satisfied with what they receive;' has multiple key components • Families can access culturally competent, comprehensive services and supports for their child and family, including specialty care, in their community. • Families are satisfied with services and supports they receive. • Services are coordinated among all providers, and families receive supports such as a coordinated service plan and a care coordinator. • Families are connected to a variety of services and resources via a streamlined enrollment process. • Public-private partnerships work to develop service systems at the community level. ' From Measuring and Monitoring CommunityBased Systems of Core for CSHCN (2003), Early Intervention Research Institute, Utah State University, Logan. Strategies to Organize Services for Individual Families: • Cultural brokers who help reach families from diverse cultures • Coordinated service plans that are developed across multiple providers and agencies with family members as the lead • A single care coordinator, often associated with the child's medical home • Wrap-around service teams to fill gaps in needed services Strategies to Improve Policies and Practices: • Community coalitions comprised of providers and diverse family representatives to oversee systems development • Co-location of multiple services under one roof • Blended funding to fill financial gaps • Electronic application systems to access multiple programs www.Cha m pions) nC.org According to the 2005/2006 National Survey of CSHCN: • One out of five families who needed a referral reported problems. • Two major problems were getting needed information and services. • Families of CYSHCN more likely to have unmet needs were those: Whose child had emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges; Whose child had functional limitations; Who had inconsistent or no health insurance; Who had income below the federal poverty level; and/or Who were headed by a single mother. r.