Help our Family Advisory Council recommend changes that can benefit Home Care Program participants and their families.

The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) helps coordinate and monitor in-home nursing for families through the Home Care Program.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) determines the number of approved nursing hours after reviewing the individual’s medical reports and medical needs.

Our Family Advisory Council (FAC) now wants to help families better understand the process for how HFS assigns nursing allocations. The FAC also wants to help HFS understand the unique needs and circumstances of Home Care families when deciding nursing allocations.

FAC Advocacy Chair Whitney Woodring is putting together a Nursing Allocation Workgroup to gather feedback on these issues. Whitney’s daughter Willa has received Home Care services since she was a baby. (See Willa’s Family Story for more details.)

Whitney hopes to speak with families across Illinois to learn about their experiences with nursing allocations and the appeal process.

You can email Whitney directly with feedback at w.woodring25@gmail.com.

Whitney would like to hear all input, including positive experiences with the process.

Your feedback will help Whitney and the FAC make recommendations for changes that can benefit as many participants as possible.

To learn more about the FAC, visit our Family Advisory Council page. Be sure to also join the FAC’s next open forum meeting on Nov. 10.

Need more information about nursing services and allocations?

Our Nursing Services Tip sheet gives an overview of Medicaid’s nursing services to help families in the Home Care Program take care of their child’s medical needs:

• Nursing Services Tip Sheet in English
• Nursing Services Tip Sheet in Spanish

Our Home Care Appeal and Peer-to-Peer Review Tip Sheet explains how the review and determination of medical eligibility for Home Care services work:

• Appeal and Peer-to-Peer Review Tip Sheet in English
• Appeal and Peer-to-Peer Review Tip Sheet in Spanish

You can find these handouts and other helpful information for families on our Home Care Information Hub.

DSCC’s updated Family Advisory Council makes it easier for families to take part and share feedback.

Feedback from our parents and participants is important to us at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC).

We have updated our Family Advisory Council (FAC) setup to make it easier for families to take part and share their input.

The FAC’s mission is to bring together families and our staff and leadership to promote the delivery of participant and family-centered services.

Our updated council will connect families to resources and provide guidance to strengthen our teamwork, improve communication and empower families to have a voice in their child’s care.

Our Family Advisory Council will consist of 15 family members and two DSCC staff members. Members must agree to a one-year commitment with an option to stay for a second.

The FAC will meet in person twice per year. Meeting locations will include Springfield, Chicago and southern Illinois.

We plan to hold a virtual meeting in September 2020. We will hold two more virtual meetings per calendar year via telephone or video.

FAC members will receive $100 per face-to-face meeting with travel reimbursement, lodging fees and per diem included. Members will receive $50 per virtual meeting.

Family engagement is essential for a successful Family Advisory Council. FAC members will have a shared responsibility to facilitate meetings and keep participant- and family-centered values at the forefront of discussions.

We ask that FAC members not only attend scheduled meetings but also share ideas, provide feedback and give support to other members. These are crucial components for a strong and productive committee.

Eligible FAC members must:

• Be a family member of a current or former Core or Home Care program participant
• Have knowledge of and interest in improving systems of care for children with special healthcare needs
• Have time for quarterly meetings
• Can travel to the regional hub for face-to-face meetings

Please contact Adell Scott (adells@uic.edu) or Claire Richardson (clairer3@uic.edu) if you have any questions or recommendations. You may also reach them by phone at (217) 558-2350.