The MCH Bridges podcast shares the story of how DSCC partnered with parent advocates and state agencies to allow generators to be an MFTD waiver benefit

In August 2020, a powerful windstorm called a derecho struck Illinois.

The storm produced about 15 tornadoes in the Chicagoland area and caused widespread power outages. Many people were without power for multiple days.

After the storm, parent advocate Susan Agrawal compiled feedback from Home Care Program families about how the power loss affected their children and loved ones with complex medical needs. She then shared this feedback with the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC).

DSCC operates the Home Care Program on behalf of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS). The Home Care Program serves individuals who need in-home nursing to safely live at home.

Many of these individuals are enrolled in the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for Those Who Are Medically Fragile and Technology Dependent (MFTD waiver). These individuals often have tracheostomies, ventilators, gastrostomy tubes and other medical technology that depends on electricity.

The feedback Agrawal shared showed that many Home Care families wanted the ability to use MFTD waiver funds to pay for power generators for their homes.

DSCC took this feedback, did research and worked with HFS to pursue an amendment to the MFTD waiver to allow waiver funds to cover the cost of generators.

A recent episode of the MCH Bridges podcast tells the story of how this new waiver benefit became available for families. The podcast is from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP).

Dr. Molly Hofmann, DSCC’s Director of Care Coordination, Systems Development and Education, co-hosted the episode called “Generating Policy Solutions to Protect Children with Complex Health Care Needs During Emergencies.”

The episode highlights the importance of preparedness, especially in the face of natural disasters or power outages that can severely affect the care of children who are medically fragile and technology dependent.

It features the following DSCC team members and partners:

• Stephanie Leach, DSCC’s Associate Director of Systems of Care
• Courtney Kerfoot, DSCC’s Integrated Program Support Specialist
• Susan Agrawal, parent advocate, Director of the Family-to-Family Health Information Center at The Arc of Illinois and the founder and leader of MFTD Waiver Families in Illinois
• Pam Winsel of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services

Thank you to AMCHP for highlighting our efforts and partnerships to ensure children with complex medical needs have the life-saving technology they need in emergency situations!

You can learn more about how the MFTD waiver pays for home generators and other important benefits for Home Care families on our Waiver Services for Home Care Families page.

Illinois’ Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant application is open for public comment until July 21

Illinois families, you have an opportunity to share your input on the state’s latest Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Title V Block Grant application and report.

The MCH Title V Block Grant is a federal and state partnership to improve the health and well-being of all mothers, infants and children. The block grant is authorized by Title V of the Social Security Act.

Every state receives MCH Title V Block Grant funds. At least 30 percent of these funds must support services for children and youth with special healthcare needs.

The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) has managed Illinois’ Title V program for children and youth with special healthcare needs since 1937.

Each year, states must complete an application for future funding and an annual report of our MCH activities from the last federal fiscal year. DSCC has partnered with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to help with Illinois’ latest application.

The 2024 MCH Title V Block Grant Application and 2022 Annual Report are posted on the IDPH website. You can also see Illinois’ updated MCH Title V Block Grant Action Plan for 2021-25, which includes the Title V priorities, national performance measures and strategies.

You can share your comments or recommendations on these documents until noon on July 21.

Please send comments to Title V Coordinator Cassidy Chambers at Cassidy.Chambers@illinois.gov.

More details are on the IDPH website.

For more information about DSCC’s Title V role, check out our Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report.

Ralph Schubert honored for 40 years helping Illinois children and families

Ralph Schubert has received the Title V Lifetime Achievement Award from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Ralph is the former Associate Director for Title V Programs at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC). He retired in August 2020.

The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of maternal and child health over time.

“He’s been a tireless and lifelong advocate for children,” said Dr. Michael Warren, the Associate Administrator of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Ralph has 40 years of public health experience in various local, state and federal positions in Illinois.

“I never expected to be considered for this award let alone selected to receive it,” Ralph said. “I am deeply honored.”

Before joining DSCC, Ralph spent a combined 30 years at the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Department of Human Services.

His leadership positions at these agencies included Manager of Maternal and Child Health Grants and Program Development Unit. Ralph also served as the acting Associate Director for Family Health and the Associate Director for Program Planning and Development, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a new community health and prevention program.

He later became the Director of Public Policy for the Illinois Public Health Association before joining DSCC in August 2016.

Ralph said a major highlight of his career was helping lead the Healthy Families Illinois initiative.

Healthy Families Illinois is a home visitation program to support new and expectant parents and improve children’s safety. He collaborated with a group of 75 advocates, service provides and others to design, implement and expand this program. 

Ralph’s work with Healthy Families Illinois earned him the Friend of Children Award from Prevent Child Abuse Illinois and a Leadership Award from Voices for Illinois Children.

Ralph said he is grateful for the people he has worked with for supporting him and challenging him to be better throughout his career.

Now that he is retired, Ralph is pursuing his third master’s degree and plans to do mission work in Africa.

Congratulations, Ralph, and thank you for your service!  

Public input needed for maternal and child health survey

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) wants to hear from you.

We invite Illinois residents to fill out a quick, anonymous survey about the needs of women, infants, children and families across the state.

Your input will help us better understand the health challenges facing Illinois communities. It will also help us determine how new programs and services could help meet communities’ needs.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Responses are anonymous and confidential. You can click on the English survey link or the Spanish survey link to complete it online.

We are working with the Illinois Department of Public Health to collect survey responses.

This feedback will help guide the work of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Program over the next five years.

We will collect responses through the end of March 2020.

Email DPH.MCH@illinois.gov with any questions about the survey.

We hope to hear from you!