Children's New Health Care Program Growing

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Children's New Health Care Program Growing

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Posted: 9:10 PM Sep 4, 2008
Last Updated: 9:10 PM Sep 4, 2008
Reporter: Carrie Cline
Email Address: carrie.cline@wsaz.com

6 comments

A | A | A

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Our region has more children who are constantly sick than anywhere else in the country.

Kentucky ranks first and West Virginia second for the number of children with special needs or chronic illnesses. But in Cabell County, W.Va., doctors are taking a different approach to child health care that's making a big difference with parents.

Jessie Slash's 7-year-old son Elijah has special needs. He suffers from a brain injury and is making big strides physically, thanks to a new approach to his health care. Elijah is part of what's called the Medical Home Project. It is headed up by Dr. James Lewis and operates in Cabell County.

Lewis said by better coordinating a child's health care, chronic illnesses like asthma and diabetes can be much better controlled and save big money. Parents with special needs children find the help and peace of mind necessary to link up to the best services available.

In the meantime, it's giving children who need it most the centralized help to better catch and solve their health care needs.

The medical home project is a federally funded five-year program. If it works, Lewis hopes it can be expanded statewide.

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Posted by: slash mom on Sep 9, 2008 at 12:39 AM
I am very concerned for our children especialy when we have people who see children with special health care needs as "speds." It honestly makes me teary eyed to think that some do not have enough knowledge to understand that many of these children are a result of a married couple who have planned to have children, who care for them and love them greatly, who do not use drugs, who do not smoke, who do not even drink caffiene. Our children, all of whom have disabilities have touched many lives-along with many of their friends who also have special needs. Just because they have a disability, limitation, or delay does not mean that they do not deserve to participate in school. They may not learn the same things as other students, but they are learning to be social, to speak, to move, to see, to eat, to use safety, to increase independence...things that we take for granted everyday. They deserve to be seen for more than just a diagnosis. They are people, they are our children.

Posted by: Jim on Sep 6, 2008 at 09:34 AM
Thanks to Sen.McConnell of Ky.for his vote against Children's insurance each time <3> it came to a vote,even though many in his own party voted for it.He said"some might cheat to get it",,,How long can this poor excuse of a peoples servant go on harming our kids? Vote it out!

Posted by: slash mom on Sep 6, 2008 at 12:50 AM
I am Elijah's mom (featured in this story). My husband and I also have an older son who has disabilities. We have been so fortunate to receive wonderful care from the BOE. It was difficult to get an aide in place, but only at first. I have worked with the Medical Home project when it first began and we wanted to implement some new policies with the BOE. For instance, we wanted to red flag children with special health care needs when it came to attendance policies. However, if you have concerns, contact the care coordinators of the Medical Home to see if they can assist you with your needs. There is also a resource fair that could help you, Rylee's Rally. This provides info related to a variety of needs for children, youth and adults with special health care needs and/or chronic health care concerns. For more info on that feel free to e-mail me at slash2@marshall.edu or ryleesrally@yahoo.com I wish you the best of luck, just remember try to get all to work as a team.

Posted by: anonymous on Sep 6, 2008 at 12:34 AM
When is this country going to fix the Health Care problems here! All you hear is what they are going to do that NEVER gets done! They WASTE TRILLONS of dollars on NON-SENSE, instead of helping people in the USA,have the BEST Health Care! We have people right here in the USA DYING because the Poor Heath Care here! This is a disgrace and unfair to the people in this country! No Jobs,No Health Care! Everyone has a PLAN to fix it, but as far as I can remember it has never worked or been fixed,and it wasn't fixed hearing our grandparents before us tell it! Does anyone know when it was ever fixed? We should take care of our own FIRST!

Posted by: Maybe on Sep 5, 2008 at 11:32 PM
If parents would consider the effect of sex-this wouldn't be an issue.There should be a law requiring IQs less than 90 be "fixed".I am sorry but drugs, alcohol, as well as two stupid people reproducing causes alot of these issues. Smoking while pregnant and raising children is too much a problem. Oh and perhaps the ones who shoot up while pregnant.I am sure you get the drift.Why should schools be educating (babysitting)children who are basically in vegetative states? Oh, I know that answer too... Free care for parents.Why should we pour millions of dollars into kids who will end up in a facility someday, when the ones who will work and pay for it all get left behind because three times the money goes to sped.Oh, lets pay for sped kids to ride buses to preschool while regular kids aren't allowed.I would love to file a discrimination suit for this! Normal preschool age kids aren't allowed to ride buses in Putnam County-only sped. Where is the reverse discrimination lawsuit.Its time!

Posted by: Fed_up_parent! on Sep 4, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Someone needs to inform the Cabell County School Board about this... maybe then they'll get off their butts and provide these chronically ill children with IEP's and Aides. They claim there is no money for testing or Aides. You know what I think.. it's either your too lazy to get off your butt and fill out the paper work or you have a large staff of uneducated idiots who don't know how to! I do my part as a parent you do your part as an educator. Your motto "Dedicated to the success of every student" What did you have a contest at the high school and let some kid come up with it and now you don't know what it means to follow it through?

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