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Commission for Children with Special Healthcare Needs
Cabinet for Health & Family Services
Overview:
The Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CCSHCN) provides diagnosis, medical/rehabilitative care, and
care coordination for certain physical conditions that are amenable to treatment and may be congenital or acquired.
Acquired conditions may result from nutritional, inflammatory, infectious, or traumatic causes. The Commission contracts
for physician services throughout the state so that children may be provided care as close to their home community as
possible. There are 14 regional offices with clinics held in numerous sites. In some cases, patients may be seen
at the physician’s office. A Commission physician must prescribe all services including assistive technology.
Eligibility:
- Be resident of Kentucky;
- Be younger than 21 years old;
- Have a condition that usually responds to medical treatment that is provided within our program; and
- Meet financial guidelines.
AT Services Provided/Covered:
- Evaluation/Assessment
- Purchasing/Acquisition
- Selection/Design
- Coordination
- Training/Technical Assistance
AT Devices Provided/Covered:
Wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other devices can be paid for if they are part of the treatment plan.
Application Process:
- Call the CCHSCN office serving your county (see appendix B for CCHSN county offices); or
- Call (800) 232-1160; or
- E-mail (CCSHCHWebPage@ky.gov) your request and which county you live in.
You will be contacted by a CCSHCN staff person.
Contact Information
Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs
982 Eastern Parkway, Louisville KY 40217
Toll Free (800) 232-1160
Local (502) 595-4459
FAX (502) 595-4673
http://chfs.ky.gov/ccshcn
Bridges & Potholes:
Bridges
- Because financial eligibility is determined on an individual basis that includes an estimation of the cost for
services and may consider a family's unique circumstances, the financial guidelines are not nearly as restrictive as
some other agencies. In this way, the Commission can fill a gap in services for the middle-income family.
Potholes
- The Commission's services are concentrated on children with physical disabilities. Assistive technology for
conditions that are completely cognitive in nature would not be covered.
- The eligibility requirement that stipulates that a condition usually respond to treatment before services can be
provided may exclude a small segment of individuals who are very severely disabled. Treatment that would merely
maintain an individual in their current condition would not be covered.
- Any assistive technology to be purchased by the Commission must be part of an array of services prescribed by a
staff physician. The staff physician, not the family, must make the final determination