Consortium for Children with Complex Medical Needs

The Consortium for Chicago-area Children with Complex Medical Needs is designed to partner with stakeholders to establish the “gold standard” for how children with medical complexities and their families are empowered and cared for within their communities through networking, education and advocacy.

Image of nurse and child The Consortium for Chicago-children with Complex Medical Needs is dedicated to improving the lives of children with special medical needs.

A community-based coalition of medical professionals, government agencies, community activists and parents, the consortium is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with special health care needs.

Goals:

  • Assure a medical home for all children with special health care needs by 2010.
  • Build alliances within the community to facilitate increased access to care and services.
  • Raise awareness within the community through advocacy and lobbying politicians for legislation regarding children with special health care needs.
  • Assure that youth with special health care needs receive transition services necessary for adult life.

Did you know?

  • Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) comprise 12.8 % of all children under the age of 18 in the United States.
  • A special health care need may result from premature birth, illness, injury or congenital conditions.
  • Many children will require life sustaining technology, extensive treatments and medications throughout their lives.
  • Advances in medical treatments have prolonged their life-span into adulthood.
  • These children continue to have difficulty in accessing care, experiencing limited resources upon reaching adulthood. They rely upon their families as care providers, often experiencing uncoordinated care, while seeking out multiple health care sources.
  • Communication among various institutions providing care for these children revealed dissatisfaction with the current system.

Partners

Consortium members are parents of children with special health care needs (CSHCN); health care providers from diverse settings; health plan administrators; family advocates; and professionals in the public health, mental health and human services fields. All share a belief in collaboration as the central way to improve systems of health care for CSHCN. Current membership includes more than 75 individuals from various organizations or agencies working on behalf of children and families in Illinois.

The Consortium for Children with Complex Medical Needs includes the following member organizations:

  • Children's Memorial Hospital
  • American Home Health
  • Awakened Alternative
  • COACH Care Center
  • Illinois Division of Specialized Care for Children
  • Illinois Department of Child and Family Services
  • Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services
  • Family Voices
  • Parents and Families
  • La Rabida Children's Hospital
  • Life Tech
  • Little Angels
  • Loyola Ronald McDonald Children's Hospital
  • Maxim Pediatric Services
  • Merit Healthcare
  • Misericordia Center
  • Melmedica Children's Healthcare
  • Mosaic Living Center
  • University of Illinois Hospital