Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program CYSHCN

Through the Children with Special Health Care Needs program, assistance is given to families in finding appropriate community resources. Families are referred to community or state agencies to help them access health insurance and/or services for their children with special needs. Follow-up is offered to check on the need for further assistance. Outreach is provided within the community, including various community agencies, medical offices, daycare centers, preschools, and health fairs regarding services for children with special needs.

Please call us at 607.778.2851 for more information. You will also find useful information in the links below.

Helpful Links

COVID-19

NYS In Home Vaccination Program - This program helps those who are homebound due to physical limitations, cognitive impairment, other chronic conditions, a lack of transportation, and/or visual impairments, and who do not have access to supports that may help them physically go to an existing vaccination provider.

COVID-19 Information and Resources for Children and Youth with Special Needs and Their Families - This document provides recommendations and resources for family members and caregivers

Coronavirus Guidance from Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)  

Coronavius (COVID-19) Information and Resources for Families - Assistance with essentials including food, utilities, housing, mental health, clothing, household goods. Or call 1-800-901-2180.

Ask the Expert: Caring for Children with Special Healthcare Needs During COVID-19 - Webinar

Hidden Consequences: How the COVID Pandemic is Impacting Children - Webinar series

Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine - step-by-step guide showing what happens when you get a shot 

 

HEALTHYCHILDREN TEXTING PROGRAM

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/HealthyChildren-Texting-Program/Pages/default.aspx

Our Ages & Stages text messaging program has just launched! If you're expecting a baby—or have kids up to the age of five—be sure to sign up below to receive important, age-based text messages for your family from the American Academy of Pediatrics! Your weekly messages will include

  • Safety and injury prevention information
  • Nutrition and feeding advice 
  • Timely health reminders like COVID updates
  • What to expect at well-child check-ups
  • Upcoming vaccine reminders
  • Developmental milestones to watch for
  • Seasonal health and wellness tips

And much more!

As a HealthyChildren.org registered user, you will automatically receive an email version of our Ages & Stages program beginning later this month if you are pregnant or have a child up to 12-months of age. We plan to add more Ages & Stages text and email messages in the near future—with content for parents of kids all the way up to age 18! 

Best wishes to you and your family, 

The Team at HealthyChildren.org

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Physical activity can provide benefits for all children and youth, including those with disabilities. Participation in sports promotes inclusion, enhances self-esteem, and improves overall physical and mental well-being. Check out the following links for information on activities and adaptive sports programs that might interest your child/youth with special needs. Remember to always consult with your pediatrician before beginning any new activity.  

Sports and Children with Special Needs: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=160&contentid=20

The Importance of Special Needs Sports:

https://www.drsearswellnessinstitute.org/healthy-living/special-needs/sports-fitness-kids-special-needs 

Sports for Children with Physical Disabilities:

https://www.verywellfamily.com/sports-for-children-with-physical-disabilities-1256963

Adaptive Sports Programs for Children with Disabilities:

https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/occupational-therapy/adaptive-sports-programs

Including All Children: Health for Kids with Disabilities:

https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/including-all-children-health-for-kids-with-disabilities/

The Best Sports for Kids with Autism:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/best-sports-for-kids-with-autism-260157

Autism Speaks – Recreation:

https://www.autismspeaks.org/activites-children-autism 

The Outreach Program for Soccer, designed for children with disabilities ages 5 to 21:

http://www.nyswysa.org/topsoccer

Special Needs Articles and Events for the Greater Binghamton Area:

https://binghamton.macaronikid.com/search

 

EVENTS and ACTIVITIES - CHECK IT OUT!

Ensure you know how to Treat Everyone with Respect:

Whether you’re in a professional environment or having a personal conversation, Special Olympics has resources you may find helpful:

The New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) provides links to advocacy organizations throughout New York to share information and to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Watch a video from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) and learn more about their work that funds projects to help people with disabilities live independently and participate fully in the community: https://ddpc.ny.gov/

Parents and Guardians - please take part in this survey! As part of the three-year NYSB5 grant to help parents/guardians access high quality early care and learning programs and services for their children, the New York State Council on Children and Families and their partners are seeking to highlight parents' and guardians' voices and experiences. As part of this work, The Center for Human Services Research at the University at Albany, State University of New York is asking parents/guardians to fill out a survey about their experiences with programs and services for their children ages 5 and younger. Eligible Parents and guardians will be asked to give their email address at the end if they would like to be part of a focus group and/or entered a drawing to win one of four - $50 Target gift cards. 

Positive Solutions for Families - To Register: 9 am sessions and 6 pm sessions - Now more than ever before, parenting is difficult. Many parents struggle with feeling that they could be doing more to support their children. Join us for an evidence based training that will help parents, and those working with parents, to promote positive social and emotional development and address challenging behaviors in young children (through early elementary age). Attendees should plan on attending all 6 sessions. Online via Zoom.

Tuesdays with the South Family an Community Engagement Center -  Social-emotional skills are essential for connecting with others! Join us as we discuss children's social-emotional development, understand their problem behaviors, and use positive approaches to help children learn appropriate behavior. 

South Early Childhood and School Age Family and Community Engagement Centers Training Guide - This support is focused on enhancing services and supports for students with disabilities from early childhood and school-age education to engagement in post-school opportunities. 

Move United: Disabled Sports USA and Adaptive Sports USA recently merged to become Move United. Check out (below) their newly combined resources for live and recorded adaptive fitness classes.

  • For live events: Select "Stay Active with Live Events" near the bottom of the page. You will find an upcoming event calendar with the day/date/time and description of upcoming adaptive fitness events To register, click on the selected activity and you will be brought to the registration page.
  • For on demand or recorded programs: Select "Stay Active With On Demand Programs." You will find a selection of recorded adaptive physical activity programs. Select the activity you are interested in and you will be brought to the recording.

Special Olympics New York - Offering a virtual program and resources for athletes

Special Olympics School of Strength - Offers a whole new way to exercise, featuring WWE superstar Becky Lynch. Three levels of videos for beginners to master athletes.

Adapt to Perform - Ben Clark is a You Tuber that has created video workouts adapted for people with mobility disabilities.

Teach Me To Talk - An excellent resource for therapists and families of children 0-5. This was previously sold on DVD, but has been made available to view via You Tube for FREE!

Zensational Kids Emergency Tool Kit - Free videos for parents and educators - Mindful Tools to Help Parents Stay Sane and Create Calm

TOPSoccer is a safe and inclusive soccer program to teach and play soccer with children with special needs, run by Binghamton University students.

To join, visit: /sites/default/files/dept/hd/pdfs/TOPSoccer%20Poster.pdf

GiGi's Playhouse - Offers free educational, therapeutic-based and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community, through a replicable playhouse model

Facebook Group for Families - The Bureau of Early Intervention is pleased to announce the launch of a newly created Facebook group, NYSDOH Early Intervention Community of Families. This group welcomes parents and caregivers of children in the Early Intervention Program from around New York State that want to connect with other parents/caregivers, share ideas, ask questions, and provide support to one another.

Described and Captioned Media Program - The nation's leading source for accessible educational content, providing services for students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind. Families and school personnel with early learners through Grade 12 students can register for free access to over 6,000 Educational Media titles on-demand and on DVD.

 

Resources for Families of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)

Insurance/Medicaid

  • Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network - Facilitated Enrollment for Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicaid
  • New York Medicaid Waiver - Medicaid waivers help provide services to people who would otherwise be in a nursing home or hospital to receive long-term care in the community, including those with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and Autism

Health Care

Child Development

  • Broome County Early Intervention Program - The Early Intervention Program is a statewide program that provides many different types of services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Early Help Makes a Difference!
  • Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! - A coordinated effort to encourage healthy child development, universal developmental and behavioral screening for children, and support for the families and providers who care for them

Delays/Disabilities/Conditions

Autism

  • Autism Resources for Families - National Autism Center
  • Autism Speaks - Enhancing lives today and accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow, across the spectrum and throughout the life span
  • Rochester Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder - Sponsored by the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities
  • Sesame Street Autism Resources for Families 

    See Amazing in All Children, a nationwide initiative aimed at communities with children ages 2 to 5. Developed with input from parents, people who serve the autism community, and people with autism, See Amazing in All Children offers families ways to manage common challenges, to simplify everyday activities, and to grow connections and support from family, friends, and community.

  • CDC Autism Links and Resources - English  Spanish

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASD, search for factors that put children at risk for ASD and possible causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASD as early as possible.

  • Operation Autism - Directly supports U.S. military families touched by Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Estate Planning for Parents of Kids with Autism

    Nobody wants to think about becoming sick or dying at a young age. However, illnesses and accidents can happen to anyone, anytime. And if life teaches us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. The benefits of an estate plan have become especially clear in recent months. If you’re starting to plan your estate, consider this estate planning checklist.

  • Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism - Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
  • Accommodation Resources  - Autism Spectrum Disorders/Asperger Syndrome
  • Developmental Disabilities - NYS Early Intervention Program, NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council - State agencies who assist individuals with developmental delays or disabilities and their families
  • Reduce the Noise - Help loved ones with sensory overload enjoy shopping
  • Cerebral Palsy Guide - A guide for helping children with cerebral palsy
  • Cerebral Palsy Guidance - Guidance and assistance to parents of a child with cerebral palsy
  • Congential Heart Disease - Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening
  • IDEA - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities
  • Asthma - People with Asthma should have an Asthma Action Plan that you develop with your doctor to help control your asthma
  • Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - This webinar will give a brief overview of FASD, identify some of the challenges of raising an individual with FASD over the lifespan and look at strategies that could be useful when living or working with them. Children prenatally exposed to alcohol become adults with FASD. Understanding that the permanent brain damage caused by alcohol exposure may be the reason individuals with FASD fail in school, treatment, in the workforce, and with relationships can help us to form strategies that may work and help the individual have a successful, happy life.

Transition

Special Education

Helpful Community Organizations and Services

  • Birthright of Binghamton - Provides a variety of services and also refers for many more; free pregnancy tests and support
  • Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton
  • Broome County Children and Family Services - Broome County Child and Family Services Plan and Forum, Daycare Unit, Family Services Unit, Central Intake Unit, Protective Services for Adults
  • Broome County Dental Society - Represents more than 145 dentists in th Broome County area
  • BroomeINCLUDES - a county-wide initiative aimed at making sure everyone in need of assistance gets the help they need.
  • Broome County Health Department - Links to: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Clinic Services & Disease Control, Environmental Health, Maternal Child Health & Development, WIC, Children with Special Needs, Emergency Preparedness, Broome Opioid Abuse Council, Research and Publications
  • Broome County Department of Social Services - Assistance and support programs for children and families
  • Broome County Lead Primary Prevention Program - Through a grant from NY State, this program is able to help local property owners identify potential lead hazards in their properties, and aid them in correcting the hazards in a lead-safe way
  • Building Brighter Futures for Broome - Through Broome County Health Department, provides education to parents on proper child care for healthy development and education; also provides means for economic stability
  • Caring 4 Our Kids - For parents of kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia
  • CHOW - Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse
  • Code Enforcement - City of Binghamton
  • Code Enforcement - Johnson City
  • Code Enforcement - Town of Union
  • Code Enforcement - Town of Vestal
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • CreateABLE - Life is Washable: provides programming designed to complement services and support for individuals and families with a special needs diagnosis, creating opportunities for all to be ABLE to connect in their communities
  • Crime Victims Assistance Center - Compassionate support and education, enhancing the community's ability to prevent and respond to victims of crime
  • Family and Community Engagement Centers of the South Region
    • Early Childhood - provides information, referral and support to families and professionals working with children, both typically developing and those with special education needs, ages birth through five
    • School Age - building effective partnerships between schools, communities and families of children with special needs
  • Family & Children's Society - Provides help, care and counseling services for people in all stages of life
  • Family Enrichment Network - Supportive services for the optimal development of children and families
  • Family Planning of South Central NY
  • Family Resource Network- Offers the programs and services that help parents do their best possible job while offering unique learning and growth opportunities for kids, teens and adults alike
  • FEMA - Designed to educate Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters
  • HCA - A non-profit organization that provides programs and services to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families
  • Healthy Families New York - services include helping families access community resources and services, educating families on parenting and child development, connecting families with medical providers, and assessing children for developmental delays
  • Institute for Child Development - To help excel children in our community challenged by developmental and learning disorders
  • Life's Choices - So you think you might be pregnant...now what?
  • Mom's House - Celebrating Life and Empowering Parents Through Education and Child Care
  • OPWDD - Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
  • Opportunities for Broome - Assists individuals and families with services that include emergency assistance, advocacy, early education, and safe and affordable housing
  • Parent-to-Parent of NYS - Addressing special health care needs in the IEP
  • Parents and Children Together (PACT) - A Parents As Teachers home visiting program that offers services, from pregnancy until the child reaches age five, to families living in Broome and Tioga Counties
  • RISE - Assists families who experience or a threated with domestic violence
  • Rural Health Network - The health and well-being of rural people and communities of South Central New York
  • Salvation Army
  • Social Security Administration
  • Southern Tier Independence Center - a not-for-profit, community-based advocacy and service organization for children and adults with all types of disabilities
  • Women, Infants and Children - Health assessments, breastfeeding support, nutrition education and counseling, as well as referrals and vouchers for healthy foods to pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants and children up to age five
  • YMCA - Programs for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility
  • YWCA - Services for women, including housing, cancer screening, child care and clothing for job interviews