An overview of key changes affecting all Division of Specialized Care for Children participants now that the public health emergency is over

The public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic ended on May 11, 2023.

This ending brings a variety of changes for our Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participant families. These changes include a return to in-person visits from DSCC Care Coordinators, an end to verbal signatures and more.

The following sections give an overview of key points and important dates to remember:

• Reminders for All DSCC Program Participants
• Reminders for Home Care Program Participants
• Important Medicaid/Insurance Updates for All DSCC Participants in Medicaid
• Contact Reminders for All DSCC Program Participants

Reminders for All DSCC Program Participants

Return to In-Person Visits

Meeting in person with our participants and families is an important part of care coordination. The public health emergency allowed face-to-face visits to occur virtually. Now that the public health emergency has ended, we must return to face-to-face meetings with our participants. 

Your DSCC Care Coordinator will work with you in advance to schedule your next in-person/home visit.  We understand that in-person visits with your Care Coordinator may be a change for you and your family. We paused these visits for several years during the public health emergency (though many families continued to meet with their Care Coordinator during the pandemic). 

Seeing you in person helps us get to know you and your family better. It can also help improve your connection with your DSCC Care Coordinator. Our partnership with Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans also requires us to meet with you in person. If you have any concerns about in-person visits, please talk to your Care Coordinator. We will work with you to see how to best accommodate your preferences.

Verbal Signatures

The public health emergency allowed your Care Coordinator to receive necessary signatures verbally. As of May 11, 2023, it is a federal rule that DSCC can no longer accept verbal signatures.

• Electronic signature options (such as through Adobe) remain an option for families when signing DSCC documents.

Reminders for Home Care Program Participants

End of Continued Medicaid and Program Enrollment for Those Found Ineligibile for Services

Starting April 1, 2023, DSCC began working with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) to reassess all Home Care Program participants who received a notice of ineligibility for the program since March 1, 2020. Now that the public health emergency has ended, HFS’ notices accurately list the approved level of services for you or your child.

• If you or your child received a notice of ineligibility for services since March 1, 2020, your services will remain in place until HFS completes a reassessment. The reassessment looks at your updated and current medical documentation and will occur before Sept. 30, 2023.
• If you or your child received a notice of reduced nursing hours since March 1, 2020, your Care Coordinator will complete the next reassessment of services at your regularly scheduled renewal time. Services will remain in place until this reassessment occurs.

Reminders for Individuals in the Non-Waiver Program (Nursing and Personal Care Services)

Now that the public health emergency has ended, all individuals who turn 21 and are not on the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for Those Who Are Medically Fragile Technology Dependent (MFTD), will not be eligible for services. If you or your child were on non-waiver services and turned 21 between the dates of March 1, 2020, and March 31, 2023, services will end on Sept. 30, 2023. Your Care Coordinator will work with you to ensure you or your child is set with an alternate state waiver, such as the Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS), if applicable.

For all non-waiver participants under age 21, you must continue to have Medicaid coverage to receive Home Care services. It is important that you submit the redetermination form from Medicaid to keep your coverage. If you fail to meet Medicaid eligibility or do not respond in time, HFS will cancel your Medicaid case. Your Home Care services will then also end.

Additional COVID-19 Respite Allotment

During the public health emergency, HFS approved an additional 336 hours of respite to use before the regular respite allotment. This additional respite is for all Home Care MFTD waiver participants. Starting Nov. 11, 2023, this additional COVID respite will expire. All respite used after Nov. 11, 2023, will come from the standard respite allotment.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

During the public health emergency, nursing agencies were reimbursed for PPE when actively staffing nurses in the home. The PPE is for the nurses to use while caring for participants. This reimbursement of PPE supplies to the nursing agencies will end on Nov. 11, 2023.

Nursing Supervisory Visits

Nursing agencies resumed in-person supervisory visits in November 2020. Effective May 11, 2023, there can be no exceptions to replace in-person supervisory visits.

Important Medicaid/Insurance Updates for All DSCC Participants in Medicaid

These next sections explain important Medicaid updates now that the public health emergency and continuous Medicaid coverage period has ended. The end of the public health emergency may also affect your Medicaid coverage or your private health insurance coverage.

No More Copays or Premiums for Medicaid

Most Medicaid programs no longer have premiums or copays. All Kids Assist, Aid to the Aged Blind and Disabled (AABD) and Adult Medicaid do not have monthly premiums or copays for services. All Kids Premium 1, Premium 2 and Share programs are all called All Kids Assist now.

Medical Redetermination for Medicaid

Redetermination is when Medicaid looks to see if you are still eligible. They look at your residency, monthly income and other criteria to decide if you still qualify.

Medicaid sent forms to some members as early as May 2023. They will not complete redetermination on all cases at the same time. They will make the redeterminations over several months. This means that your Medicaid redetermination could happen now or later, even next year. It is important to make sure Medicaid has your current address. You can report your address online at Medicaid.illinois.gov or call (877) 805-5312. We also have a news post with more details about how to update your address.
Please watch your mail for letters from Medicaid.

Once you receive your redetermination notice, you will have about a month to respond. Medicaid may ask for more information about your income, residency or other information. If Medicaid asks for more information and you do not respond, your Medicaid coverage ends. You can return the redetermination in several ways:

1. Online at ABE.illinois.gov using Manage My Case. Manage My Case is the quickest way to complete your redetermination.
2. By mail.
3. In person at a local Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Family Community Resource Center.
4. By phone.

If you are in a Medicaid managed care plan (MCO), please remember the MCO does not do the redetermination. Medicaid does redetermination reviews. If you do not qualify for Medicaid anymore, your coverage ends. If you are still eligible, you keep your Medicaid coverage.

Don’t risk losing your health insurance. Please update your address with Illinois Medicaid. It’s easy, fast and free:

• Call (877) 805-5312 from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Visit medicaid.illinois.gov.
• If you use a TTY, call (877) 204-1012.

Please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator if you have questions about Medicaid redetermination.

Telehealth Coverage

Telehealth coverage for Medicaid (and other insurances) is a permanent change and will continue after the public health emergency to give Medicaid time to review for any future changes. You can review the HFS Provider Notice issued May 9, 2023, on Telehealth to learn more.

An Illinois law signed in 2021 requires insurance to cover telehealth through 2027. This law does not require that practitioners or providers offer telehealth services. Therefore, your providers may not offer telehealth care. The law only says that insurance must pay providers for telehealth care if they provide it.

Pharmacy Billing and Prior Approval Requirements

Pharmacy billing and prior approval requirements for Medicaid will resume. There were many flexibilities that allowed Medicaid members to get medications. These include overriding the refill too soon and waiving requirements for the preferred drug list, quantity and brand limits. If you go to the pharmacy and they tell you that you can’t get your medications, ask your doctor to submit a prior approval to Medicaid. You can review the HFS Provider Notice issued May 3, 2023, on Pharmacy Billing to learn more. Contact your DSCC Care Coordinator for more help.

DME and Therapy Prior Approval Requirements

DME and therapy prior approval requirements for Medicaid will resume. There are some services that Medicaid did not require a prior approval for during the public health emergency. These services include therapy, home health and some durable medical equipment (DME). It is important for your providers to get a prior approval so that Medicaid reviews medical eligibility for the services. You can review the HFS Provider Notice issued April 4, 2023, on Prior Approval Requirements for more details. Contact your DSCC Care Coordinator for more help.

COVID-19 Tests, Treatment, and Vaccines

Uninsured individuals will no longer get access to special COVID-19 Medicaid eligibility which included testing, services, treatment, and vaccine administration during the public health emergency. You can view the HFS Provider Notice issued May 9, 2023,  on Uninsured Population Special COVID-19 Coverage. Medicaid members who do have eligibility will continue to be able to access treatment, testing and vaccines.

Those with private insurance should also be able to continue to access treatment and vaccines as outlined by their plan.

Insurance plans will no longer cover over-the-counter tests for COVID-19  for free. Generally, a doctor will need to order the test and provide them in an office or similar facility. This may vary from plan to plan. You should call your insurance plan if you have questions. There may also be community organizations or public health departments still distributing COVID-19 tests and related services, such as vaccines, for free.

Extension of COBRA

During the public health emergency,  there was an extension of election and notice deadlines for someone to take COBRA after losing or leaving a job. That will expire 60 days after May 11, 2023.

Temporary Special Enrollment Period

For individuals who no longer qualify for Medicaid after they go through redetermination, there is a special open enrollment period through the federal health insurance marketplace to purchase private insurance. It will extend from March 31, 2023, to July 31, 2024. This is only for people with a special qualifying event, such as losing coverage. Otherwise, the regular open enrollment period will be in November and December for individuals who need to enroll in private insurance through the marketplace. The Illinois website is GetCovered.illinois.gov and the federal website is HealthCare.gov.

Questions? Contact Us!

As a DSCC participant family, you can contact us with any questions or support your family needs.

Please note the best way to reach your care coordination team or any DSCC office is through our toll-free number of (800) 322-3722.

You can use this number to dial your Care Coordinator’s direct extension or to have our Customer Service Representatives connect you with the right person/team.

We have updated our phone system and ask everyone to use the (800) 322-3722 number as the simplest and fastest way to reach us.

Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please talk to your Care Coordinator if you have a need to speak outside of business hours.

You may also reach us through our general dscc@uic.edu inbox or use our Contact Us or Request a Callback forms on our website.

Please talk with your Care Coordinator if you have more questions or need to update your communication preferences.

We are thankful for your partnership throughout the changes related to the end of the pandemic and public health emergency. Our team will continue to help support your family and connect you with the right services and resources.

Learn more about the Illinois Community College Initiative and 2023 CSBG Scholarship Program

Finding the right programs and resources is key when planning for the future as a young adult with disabilities.

Two programs currently offer valuable education, training and scholarship opportunities for Illinois youth interested in college or joining the workforce after high school.

Illinois Community College Initiative

The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) wants to help people with disabilities in their quest for success.

The Illinois Community College Initiative provides academic and vocational training programs for eligible students with disabilities at in-state public community colleges and approved community colleges bordering the state.

People with disabilities who are eligible for the DRS vocational rehabilitation program are eligible to participate. You may complete community college coursework leading to an associate degree or to a degree, certificate or other industry-recognized credential or certificate.

DRS will help you with:

• Tuition
• The cost of fees, books and supplies
• Transportation costs
• Other eligible costs

See the Illinois Community College Initiative flyer for more details.

Spanish-speaking families can listen to the radio ad or read the ad transcript in Spanish.

Ready to get started? Contact your local DRS office using the locator tool or call (877) 581-3690. TTY and relay callers can dial 711.

2023 C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation’s CSBG Scholarship

C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation has a scholarship program to help students pay for college or occupational training.

The CSBG College Scholarship program provides financial help to income-eligible students living in the following counties:

• Christian
• Clay
• Effingham
• Fayette
• Montgomery
• Moultrie
• Shelby

You can use the scholarship to pay for formal education or occupational training in an accredited Illinois educational institution. Training and degrees may include:

• Associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree, post-secondary education
• General education, short-term training (two years or less) in growth occupation skills

The CSBG scholarship is competitive and awards students based on:

• Income
• The interview process
• Choosing to go into high technology areas or other growth occupations

Previous scholarship recipients can submit an application. You must be enrolled or intend to enroll as full-time students for the fall 2023 semester in an Illinois-accredited college. Full-time is 12 hours or more.

Click on the CSBG Scholarship application or get an application at your county C.E.F.S. outreach office. The application includes contact information for each local office.

You can also visit the C.E.F.S. website for more information.

You must complete your application and submit all requested documents to your local office by April 14 at 4 p.m.

All eligible candidates will have an interview in May.

Find More Transition Resources

Visit the Transition Tools section of our website to find more programs and information to help with planning and paying for college, getting a job and more.

You can browse the Transition: Education Resources and the Transition: Work Resources categories to find what you need.

Our team is also here to help partner with you and your family to help make the transition to adulthood as successful as possible.

Contact us to find out more!

Check out our list of inclusive camps to help you find the right fit for your child

It’s never too early to start planning for summer break activities.

Fortunately, there are a variety of opportunities for children and young adults with special healthcare needs.

We’ve compiled a list of day and overnight camps across Illinois as well as virtual programs.

Does your child want to make new friends? Develop new skills? Meet others with their condition or become more independent?

Our 2023 summer camp list can help you find the right fit.

These camps are accessible and inclusive for a variety of needs, including many of our program’s eligible medical conditions.

Our events calendar shows the summer camps listed by date. You may also search for events in your area by clicking on a regional office near you.

Know of a good summer camp opportunity to add to our list?

Send us the details at dscc@uic.edu. We’ll continue to update our list of camps and activities, so please check back often. 

Key dates to know and an overview of the impact on DSCC participants and families

We are starting to prepare for the end of the public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve put together important information about how it will affect our Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participants and their families.

When the public health emergency took effect in 2020, the federal government allowed continuous Medicaid coverage and flexibilities for individuals receiving services through a Medicaid waiver. The federal government has signaled that the public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023. Please note the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has not yet confirmed this date in writing.

We want to keep our participants as up-to-date as possible and will let you know if this date changes. In the meantime, we want to explain what changes will occur once the public health emergency and continuous Medicaid enrollment end.

The following sections give an overview of:

• The end of continuous Medicaid coverage
• The changes for all DSCC participants and families
• The impact on those enrolled in the Home Care Program

End of Continuous Medicaid Coverage

When the public health emergency began in 2020, the federal government allowed for continuous Medicaid coverage. This flexibility meant no one would lose Medicaid coverage during this time. The federal government is now ending continuous Medicaid coverage on March 31, 2023.

Starting April 1, Illinois Medicaid must review eligibility for all Medicaid cases. This process is called redetermination. Redetermination is when Medicaid looks to see if you are still eligible. They look at your residency, monthly income and other criteria to decide if you still qualify.

Medicaid will send forms to some members as early as May 2023. They will not complete redetermination on all cases at the same time. They will make the redeterminations over several months. This means that your Medicaid redetermination could happen in May or later this year.

It is important to make sure Medicaid has your current address. You can report your address online at Medicaid.illinois.gov or call (877) 805-5312. We also have a news post with more details about how to update your address. Please watch your mail for letters from Medicaid.

Once you receive your redetermination notice, you will have about a month to respond. Medicaid may ask for more information about your income, residency, or other information. If Medicaid asks for more information and you do not respond, your Medicaid coverage ends. You can return the redetermination in several ways:

1. Online at ABE.illinois.gov using Manage My Case. Manage My Case is the quickest way to complete your redetermination.
2. By mail.
3. In person at a local Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Family Community Resource Center.
4. By phone.

If you are in a Medicaid managed care plan (MCO), please remember the MCO does not do the redetermination. Medicaid does redetermination reviews. If you do not qualify for Medicaid anymore, your coverage ends. If you are still eligible, you keep your Medicaid coverage.

Don’t risk losing your health insurance. Please update your address with Illinois Medicaid. It’s easy, fast and free:

• Call (877) 805-5312 from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Visit medicaid.illinois.gov.
• If you use a TTY, call (877) 204-1012.

Please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator if you have questions about Medicaid redetermination.

Changes for All DSCC Program Participants:

• In-Person Visits: The public health emergency has allowed flexibility for in-person visits. As the public health emergency ends, DSCC must resume all in-person visits by Nov. 11, 2023. Your DSCC Care Coordinator will work with you to schedule your next in-person/home visit.

• Verbal Signatures: The public health emergency also allowed your Care Coordinator to receive necessary signatures verbally. As the public health emergency ends, we can no longer accept verbal signatures beginning May 11, 2023.

Impact on DSCC Participants in the Home Care Program:

The COVID-19 public health emergency has allowed several flexibilities for those in the Home Care Program in two separate areas:

• Continuous Medicaid and program enrollment for those found ineligible for services beginning March 1, 2020
  
• Appendix K flexibilities (Appendix K is an emergency coverage document for individuals receiving services through a Medicaid waiver.)

The following is important information about how the end of the public health emergency will affect Home Care Program participants.

End of Continued Medicaid and Program Enrollment for Those Found Ineligible for Services:

• There have been no reductions or loss of eligibility for Home Care participants since March 1, 2020. In 2022, the federal government separated the continuous Medicaid enrollment coverage provision from the public health emergency. As a result, continuous Medicaid coverage will end on March 31, 2023.
  
  Starting April 1, 2023, DSCC will work with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) to determine eligibility. We will reassess all Home Care Program participants who received a notice of ineligibility for the program since March 1, 2020. If you or your child received a notice of ineligibility for services since then, your services will remain in place until we complete a reassessment. The reassessment will look at your updated and current medical documentation. This includes individuals who appealed and were still deemed ineligible for services. Based on the new reassessment, HFS will send you an updated notice. This notice will state whether you or your child are eligible for Home Care services. Your DSCC Care Coordinator will work with you to complete a reassessment before Sept. 30, 2023.

• If you or your child received a notice of reduced nursing hours since March 1, 2020, your Care Coordinator will complete the next reassessment of services at your regularly scheduled renewal time. Services will remain in place until this reassessment occurs. After this reassessment, HFS will send you a new notice based on updated and current medical documentation. The notice will list the new level of services.

More Information for Individuals in the Non-Waiver Program (Nursing and Personal Care Services):

• You will no longer receive Home Care Program nursing services if you or your child turned 21 and are not on the MFTD waiver but still receive nursing. Your nursing services will end on Sept. 30, 2023. Your Care Coordinator will work with you to ensure you, or your child is set with an alternate state waiver, such as the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), if applicable. If you or your child will turn 21 on or after March 31, 2023, services will end on the date indicated on the current notice of ineligibility.
  
• For all non-waiver participants under age 21, you must continue to have Medicaid coverage to receive Home Care services. It is important that you submit the redetermination form from Medicaid to keep your coverage. If you fail to meet Medicaid eligibility or do not respond in time, HFS will cancel your Medicaid case. Your Home Care services will then also end. For more information on the Medicaid redetermination timeline, see the dates above.

Appendix K Flexibilities

Appendix K is an emergency coverage document for individuals receiving services through a Medicaid waiver. Appendix K provisions took effect on March 1, 2020, to give flexibility to Home Care participants. Appendix K is tied to the public health emergency, which is determined by the federal government.

As we noted above, the federal government has indicated the public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023. Appendix K provisions would then continue for six months after the public health emergency ends. Therefore, Appendix K flexibilities will end on Nov. 11, 2023. However, DSCC worked with HFS to make two flexibilities permanent. Here are more details on what will change and what will remain in place:

• Licensed (RN or LPN) parent/LRA paid caregivers: Parents/legally responsible adults (LRAs), including foster parents, can continue to provide skilled nursing services to their child if they hold an active registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) license. DSCC sent a separate notice on this provision remaining permanent, which includes details on guidelines. (You can also read our news post on Home Care Program Changes Give Families More Flexibility and Support.)
  
• Overtime: Nursing agencies will permanently receive payment for providing overtime hours to Home Care participants. DSCC sent a separate notice on this provision remaining permanent, which includes details on guidelines. (You ou can also read our news post on Home Care Program Changes Give Families More Flexibility and Support.)
  
• Additional COVID-19 respite allotment: During the public health emergency, HFS approved an additional 336 hours of respite to use before the regular respite allotment. This additional respite is for all Home Care MFTD waiver participants. Starting Nov. 11, 2023, this additional COVID respite will expire. All respite used after Nov. 11, 2023, will come from the standard respite allotment.
  
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): During the public health emergency, nursing agencies were reimbursed for PPE when actively staffing nurses in the home. The PPE is for the nurses to use while caring for participants. This reimbursement of PPE supplies to the nursing agencies will end on Nov. 11, 2023.
  
• Nursing Supervisory Visits: Nursing agencies resumed in-person supervisory visits in November 2020. Effective May 11, 2023, there will be no exceptions allowed to replace in-person supervisory visits.

Please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator at (800) 322-3722 if you have questions or are unsure how this information may impact your family.

We are thankful for your partnership throughout the pandemic and public health emergency. Our team will continue to help support your family and connect you with the right services and resources.

“DSCC understands the importance of supporting families and coordinating care.”

Dr. Shubhra Mukherjee, also known as Dr. Sue, is the medical director of pediatric and adolescent rehabilitation medicine at Shriners Children’s Chicago.

Mukherjee currently cares for patients up to age 22. Her background includes working with young adults with complex healthcare needs and collaborating across medical specialties to help these patients and their families connect with the care they need.

She has served on the Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) Medical Advisory Board (MAB) for more than 16 years.

Mukherjee’s expertise in physical medicine and rehabilitation combined with a deep interest in the transition of care for children with complex healthcare needs has been a great fit.

“DSCC understands the importance of supporting families and coordinating care,” said Mukherjee. “I appreciate their statewide focus and how the MAB serves as an avenue for clinician input on what changes are needed, sharing feedback about the struggles we encounter helping patients get what they need, and working together to find solutions.”

Putting the Focus on Transition

When Mukherjee joined the board, schools were just beginning to explore the need to help students build the skills needed to transition to adulthood.

“They were looking at ways they could better prepare students to go on to jobs, college and life after high school,” Mukherjee explained. “In pediatric care, we realized that we needed to be doing the same thing for children with complex healthcare needs and their families.”

The DSCC team had the idea to increase the participation of medical professionals at the annual Illinois Statewide Transition Conference. We wanted to create a more proactive approach to helping children and their families make the transition from pediatric care to adulthood.

Mukherjee teamed up with DSCC’s former Title V Transition Specialist Darcy Contri to help put the idea into action.

“DSCC was already doing great work providing family support, tip sheets, and facilitating face-to-face conversations about transition. This was just one more piece of the puzzle,” said Mukherjee. “Darcy and I set up the first health care track for the Statewide Transition Conference with a goal of building more clinical engagement and increasing awareness and support for patients with complex health care needs and their families.”

The health care track has provided information and presentations with and for doctors and others providing complex care. According to Mukherjee, it continues to be a catalyst for building connections, sparking ideas, and inspiring healthcare professionals.

“I got to see that impact firsthand when one of our occupational therapists (OT) attended the conference with me,” Mukherjee said. “She was so moved that she became a big proponent of the OT’s role in developing and teaching adolescents skills related to health care.”

Opportunities to Collaborate

Mukherjee appreciates how the MAB fosters collaboration, networking and the development of partnerships. This work continues to create more options throughout Illinois for patients with complex care needs.

“It’s very rewarding to grow my knowledge and connect with like-minded professionals across so many different specialties,” Mukherjee said. “We’re able to share, provide feedback, and exchange ideas around removing barriers and supporting patients with complex healthcare needs at all stages.”

Mukherjee said DSCC also continues to be a major source of support for her own patients.

“Care coordination is so important for these families,” said Mukherjee. “DSCC helps them find the right care or specialist, get to appointments, and locate funding for the services they need to stay well and engage in their community. DSCC is there for the child and family.”

Mukherjee also leans on DSCC for updates and information.

“DSCC helps me keep track of program changes and learn about new services or programs that are available,” Mukherjee emphasized. “DSCC plays a vital role in sharing information and connecting the many different entities that individuals with complex needs depend on for their care.”

Awareness Brings Progress

Mukherjee said there is still a great need for education about the transition to adulthood and its importance.

“I’m glad to see the growing awareness and interest by professionals in helping youth develop the skills they need to be successful as adult users of the healthcare system,” said Mukherjee. “We are seeing more adult providers who understand the needs of young people with disabilities who are aging out of pediatric care.”

Awareness has brought progress, but challenges remain.

“Pediatric and adult care are not set up in the same way. For example, a spina bifida clinic and spinal care clinic are similar, but they are not the same. Adults with complex conditions going to a spinal care clinic may not be getting all of their needs met,” said Mukherjee. “The special pediatric clinic that addressed all their needs as a kid doesn’t exist in the adult care system.”

Mukherjee’s own focus on the transition to adulthood remains as strong as ever.

“I’ve been following some of the research initiatives at the University of Illinois Chicago. It’s exciting to see they are collecting data, exploring different aspects of complex care and its costs, and working towards building a framework that brings all the pieces together for adults with complex care needs,” she said.

“DSCC plays a vital role,” Mukherjee noted. “Sharing their information and ensuring it’s always there for the families we serve is important.”

Thank you, Dr. Sue, for your leadership to help families and professionals support the successful transition to adulthood!

Visit our Medical Advisory Board page to learn more about the MAB and its mission.

Hippity-hoppity, the Easter Bunny is on its way!

Sensory-friendly Easter Bunny visits are happening at sites throughout Illinois and the St. Louis area. Individuals of all ages and abilities may schedule an appointment.

The visits will take place in a calmer, quieter environment that supports visitors’ sensory, physical and developmental needs. Autism Speaks is partnering with Cherry Hill Programs to provide these special Easter Bunny photo events.

The Bunny Cares experiences are free. Photos will be available to buy at each event.

You can see the Easter Bunny on March 26 at the following locations (in the “Reserve” section for each location, click on the “Events” button and select “Bunny Cares”):

• Fox Valley
• Frontenac Plaza (Missouri)
• Hawthorn Mall
• Market Place Shopping Center
• Northwoods Mall
• Orland Square Mall
• White Oaks Mall
• Woodfield Mall (also hosting an event on April 2)

Reservations are limited. Visit the Bunny Cares website for a complete list of sites and to reserve your spot.

Many communities are also hosting sensory-friendly egg hunts and opportunities to meet the Easter Bunny. To find these events and other family-friendly spring activities, hop on over to our Special Events page.

Free virtual training sessions in English and Spanish for Division of Specialized Care for Children participants, their families and all who are interested

Navigating the health insurance maze can be frustrating.

We’ve heard our participant families’ feedback and want to help improve the process.

Please join the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) for our new education series on important health insurance topics.

These free, family-focused sessions will help you better understand your coverage and benefits.

Sessions are virtual and open to DSCC participants, their families/caregivers and anyone interested in these topics.

The DSCC Health Insurance Education Series is the result of DSCC families’ questions and suggestions from our Family Advisory Council.

Our Benefits Management and Research (BMR) team will explain a different topic and answer your questions each month. They will present each session in English and in Spanish via Zoom.

Save the date for each session:

• Understanding Your Insurance
  
  English: March 7, 6 p.m.
  Spanish: March 8, 6 p.m.
  
  This training will help you understand your health insurance. It will go over the types of insurance plans and some important words to know. You will also learn what to do if you have many insurance plans and how to find a doctor.
  
  Sign up for Understanding Your Insurance in English
  Sign up for Understanding Your Insurance in Spanish

• Medicaid Eligibility and Coverage
  
  English: April 11, 6 p.m.
  Spanish: April 12, 6 p.m.
  
  This training will help you learn about Illinois Medicaid programs. It will discuss who can have Medicaid and the programs for children and adults. You will learn what Medicaid covers and how to keep Medicaid coverage through the yearly redetermination process.
  
  Sign up for Medicaid Eligibility and Coverage in English
  Sign up for Medicaid Eligibility and Coverage in Spanish

• Insurance Appeals
  
  English: May 9, 6 p.m.
  Spanish: May 11, 6 p.m.
  
  This training will cover information on health insurance appeals. You will learn what to do if your insurance doesn’t approve a service. You will also learn more about the appeal process and how to write an appeal letter. Examples will be available.
  
  Sign up for Insurance Appeals in English
  Sign up for Insurance Appeals in Spanish

Details about each series session are also posted on our Events page.

Each session will be recorded. You can access the recordings and related materials on our Family Education Webinars page.

There is no cost for families to participate.

If you have questions before or after a session, please email dscc@uic.edu or fill out our Contact Us form.

We hope you’ll join us!

Paid licensed caregivers and nurse overtime are now permanent options for Home Care families

We have exciting news about long-term changes to the Home Care Program. We have listened to our participant families and made two pandemic-related benefits permanent. These changes can provide continued flexibility and support beyond the public health emergency.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, UIC’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) partnered with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) to address our Home Care families’ needs. Together, we set provisions included in Appendix K. Appendix K is an emergency coverage document for individuals receiving services through a Medicaid waiver.

We continued to partner with HFS to make two provisions permanent for Home Care participants. As a result, nurses can continue to provide overtime. Licensed parents/legally responsible adults (LRAs) can also remain paid nurse caregivers for their children enrolled in Home Care.

Below are more information and guidelines on these new permanent changes.

Licensed (RN or LPN) Parent/LRA Paid Caregivers

Parents or LRAs, including foster parents, can provide skilled nursing services to their children if they hold an active registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) license.

This approval includes participants enrolled in medically fragile, technology-dependent (MFTD) waiver services and non-waiver services. This approval is for all children approved for Home Care services, regardless of the child’s age.

Guidelines include:

• The licensed parent/LRA must be a nurse employee of a DSCC-approved nursing agency. The nursing agency sets the number of hours the parent can work each week.
• Services may begin on the licensed parent/LRA’s hire date.
• The licensed parent/LRA must meet all nursing agency rules for provider qualifications and training.
• The licensed parent/LRA can work overtime hours. Overtime is anything over 40 hours a week.
• The licensed parent/LRA must hold an active RN or LPN license.
• Licensed parents/LRAs may not provide respite services under the waiver.
• Licensed parents/LRAs cannot receive reimbursement for nurse training.
• The total nursing hours may not exceed the approved resource allocation.

Overtime

Nursing agencies will permanently receive payment for overtime hours to Home Care participants. Overtime hours benefit the participant and family. They also allow nurse caregivers to provide more nursing coverage to participants. The possibility of overtime also incentivizes the nurse caregiver to provide more coverage. Overtime allows nursing agencies to cover more authorized hours while stretching their staffing over fewer nurses. This is especially helpful to families during a time of increased demand for nurses.

Guidelines include:

• Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, overtime is anything over 40 hours a week.
• The Nurse Practice Act prohibits working more than 16 hours in a 24-hour period. An eight-hour break between shifts is also mandatory.
• Overtime is defined as time-and-a-half.
• Overtime reimbursement comes from the approved resource allocation. The amount billed cannot exceed the HFS-approved resource allocation.
• Those on the MFTD waiver cannot use overtime when using respite hours.
• Parents/LRAs who are nurse paid caregivers can work overtime. The parent/LRA is an employee of the nursing agency. The nursing agency determines the number of hours the parent can work each week. The number of hours cannot exceed the approved resource allocation.
• Nurses can only be eligible for overtime when Medicaid is the payer. When private insurance is the payer, nurses cannot receive overtime pay.

Please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator with any questions or concerns.

We hope these permanent changes will continue to benefit your family.

Petra Petty hopes to promote greater understanding and disability representation

Petra Petty says she’s fought for greater understanding and representation of the disability community her whole life.  

The 17-year-old Kewanee high school student was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. As she’s grown, she’s advocated for greater accessibility in her school district’s buildings. She also successfully pushed for a wheelchair swing at a local park playground.

She’s also passionate about other social justice issues and being an advocate for others.

Now Petra gets to share this passion and her experiences with a wider audience.

Petra recently started a podcast called “Roll With It.” The podcast focuses on living with a disability, current events, pop culture and more.

“I always had a desire to start one,” Petra said. “I’ve always loved talking about my opinions, and I’ve always been on social media, but I felt like I needed a longer form to share my thoughts. So, I just decided to make one. And I really love podcasts.”

Petra is a participant in the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC). DSCC partners with families to help them find the right services and resources for their child’s special healthcare needs.

Petra says DSCC has helped her family with insurance coverage issues and how to navigate the healthcare system as a whole. As Petra has grown, she gets to speak with her DSCC Care Coordinator herself during regular check-ins.

“I really love talking to her and having someone to ask questions to and who I can also relate to,” Petra said of her current Care Coordinator Sarah Kelly. Sarah also has a disability and uses a wheelchair. “It helps a lot.”

Petra started the “Roll With It” podcast in September. She started with weekly episodes and took a short break during her high school exams and the holidays. She thinks of different topics to cover by drawing inspiration from current events, feedback from her social media followers and daily life experiences.

“People don’t understand disability,” she said. “I talk about the struggles and the dynamics of it. I want to show non-disabled people how it really is and not just what they think it is.”

Petra’s received great feedback so far.

“I have classmates that listen to it and teachers,” she said. “People have been supportive.”

Petra is also noticing a difference within herself since starting the podcast.

“I’ve learned how to be more open and honest and be less afraid. It’s given me a lot of confidence,” she said.

“Roll With It” is available on Spotify and Amazon Music.

Petra is excited to see where it leads. She currently plans to go to college and major in psychology and minor in political science or social justice.

Petra was also recently selected to join the Girls Committee of the Illinois Council on Women and Girls. Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton chairs the council, which advises Gov. JB Pritzker and the General Assembly on policy issues affecting women and girls.

Participants on the council’s Girls Committee share their experiences and perspectives to help make Illinois a place where all girls can thrive.

Petra said she hopes to continue to be a force for positive change through the council.

She also encourages other teens to not let fear or doubt hold them back from trying something new and sharing their voices.

“If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out,” she said. “You never know until you try.”

You can learn more about Petra’s background and podcast in this news article from the Kewanee Star Courier.

Congratulations, Petra!

To celebrate Eloise turning 3, her family threw a “groovy” birthday party to provide comfort and treats for patients and their families at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois

Birthdays are major milestones in every child’s life. For families of children with rare diseases, they’re especially precious.  

Eloise was diagnosed with alobar holoprosencephaly when her mom, Rachel, was 20 weeks pregnant. This congenital condition causes a developing baby’s brain to not properly separate into the right and left hemispheres (halves).

“There are several types of holoprosencephaly and alobar is the most severe. We had no idea if she would be born alive or how long she would live,” Rachel said. “She spent 20 days in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) before going home on hospice just before COVID-19 hit.”

Her first birthday didn’t seem possible, let alone future birthdays. But Eloise defied the odds. The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participant moved from hospice to palliative care. Eloise is now a feisty 3-year-old who brings joy to everyone she meets, Rachel said.

To celebrate Eloise turning 3 in November, her family planned a special birthday party to benefit the patients and their families at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois. The party, dubbed “Eloise Fest – Let’s Get Groovy,” provided plenty of treats and gifts from local businesses. The celebration also donated new sound machines to create a more calming setting for families.  

“The party was a way to give back and celebrate something we never dreamed possible,” Rachel said.

Eloise has spent time in nearly every pediatric unit of OSF Children’s Hospital. Rachel and her husband, Zach, got the idea for Eloise Fest when they noticed some of the hospital rooms didn’t have sound machines. 

“Eloise’s first and second birthdays we raised money for the Carter Centers for Brain Research in Holoprosencephaly and Related Brain Malformations. This year we wanted to do something more tangible,” Rachel said.

“It may seem like a small thing but hearing the beeps and monitors all the time can be really stressful for families and patients. A sound machine helps provide calm by drowning out the medical stuff. During our stays, we usually set our machine on the ocean setting and it helps provide a sense of calm that’s hard to come by in a hospital. We wanted to help other families have that same sense of calm.”

Rachel and Zach worked with the hospital to find out how many sound machines each department needed. The couple then posted a wish list for their family and friends to buy 92 sound machines and related supplies. They fulfilled the wish list within three days.

“It was so touching to see how many people are impacted by Eloise’s story and are there supporting and loving her,” Rachel said.

Eloise’s “groovy” themed party also included her favorite music playlist and a VW bus photo station that traveled from floor to floor.  Local businesses also donated an array of food and non-food goodies for patients and staff.

“This has been three years we didn’t know that we would get,” Rachel said. “I’m grateful for the team that we have surrounding us that includes doctors who understand and all the support our friends, family and DSCC provides. How else would we have gotten here?”

You can see more photos from Eloise Fest and the list of local business donors on OSF Children’s Hospital’s Facebook page.

Read more about Eloise’s powerful journey on our Family Stories page.