HHS on June 1 issued a national framework to improve care for the 1 in 5 children in the U.S. who have special healthcare needs.
An estimated 14 million U.S. children require specialized care and services, but only about 15 percent are receiving optimal support, such as regular health screenings, adequate insurance coverage and access to community-based services, according to HHS.
The framework, released as a special supplement in the journal Pediatrics, highlights four areas healthcare leaders should focus on to improve care for this patient population:
- Health equity
- Family and child well-being and quality of life
- Access to services
- Financing of services
"Children with special healthcare needs deserve equitable access to care that is coordinated, comprehensive, and child- and family-centered," Carole Johnson, administrator of HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration, said in a news release. "With the release of this blueprint, we are setting the course for how to ensure families get the services and support they need."
View the full framework here.