Children's Medical Services: CMS is the administrator of special health care programs for the children of Santa Barbara County. CMS is dedicated to helping families and working with every professional and organization offering services to children. Below are very brief descriptions of the programs CMS offers. Please click on the titles in the side bar to view a comprehensive description of each program.
Child Health and Disability Prevention Program: CHDP
CHDP pays for well child examinations, developmental screening and immunizations at regular intervals for children who meet financial limits or who have Medi-Cal insurance. CHDP and the State of California have developed standards for the health professionals who provide the services. Most Pediatricians and Family Practitioners are certified CHDP providers. Families that have Healthy Families insurance receive the same services with that coverage and do not need CHDP coverage.
California Children Services: CCS
CCS
has five special programs for children (0-21years) with special
healthcare needs. CSS is a medical program that requires a doctor
to send reports and prescriptions to determine eligibility and
authorize services. However, families may initiate a referral
of their child to a CCS program. Then, with the family's permission,
the child's doctor is contacted to provide information. The five
programs of CCS are:
High Risk Infant Follow Up: HRIF
High Risk Infant Follow Up: HRIF offers high risk infants comprehensive developmental assessments and vision and hearing screening up to three years of age. Infants who are born with a risk factor(s) for physical developmental problems may qualify for this service. The goal is to identify infants and toddlers with delays and refer them for early developmental services to prevent serious physical disability. Infants who meet medical eligibility criteria are evaluated with no or minimal charge to the family. Reports are sent to the child's physician for review and appropriate action.
The CCS Diagnostic Program refers and pays for evaluations by medical specialists and tests when a child may have a serious medical condition. This program is available to families who have no health insurance, families who have Healthy Families or Medi-Cal insurance and families whose health insurance denies in writing a CCS covered diagnostic service. Not all medical conditions or diseases are eligible, only the very serious.
The CCS Treatment Program provides comprehensive Case Management for children with serious, potentially life threatening or disabling medical conditions or diseases. Case Management means that a team of professionals at CCS helps families and their doctors obtain the best possible medical care for the child. Sometimes this means arranging visits to Special Care Centers or purchasing medical equipment for the home. The child must have a medically eligible condition or disease and the family must meet certain financial and residential criteria.
The MTP provides Physical and Occupational Therapy to children with certain physical (neuromuscular or orthopedic) conditions or diseases. These services are provided free of charge or at minimal cost. They are offered in special locations (Medical Therapy Units) associated with schools. In addition, consultation may occur in the classroom and home.
