As children and teens with special health care needs grow they need to understand about their diagnosis, their medication, how to contact their doctor(s), how to make appointments, their health insurance, and how to make informed health decisions. Parents and caregivers need to learn about possible changes in health care services and insurance as teens transition into adult services.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) -- This is the federal law that allows a family member to take unpaid leave from their place of employment to care for an immediate family member (parent, spouse, and child) in certain circumstances. This site is for the U.S. Department of Labor and contains everything about the FMLA including the federal law, who is eligible to take the leave, and many frequently asked questions (FAQ's).
The website is: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/

Social Security Determination -- This website provides the criteria used by the Social Security Administration to determine if a child or an adult has a disability that qualifies for Social Security benefits. It is a technical website, but has very valuable information to use in determining if a youth's eligibility for Social Security benefits will change in any way when they become an adult. The website is:  http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) -- AHCA is the Florida state agency responsible for the administration of Florida Medicaid. The site includes a listing of AHCA's Consumer Services, information about Medicaid eligibility and the application process, and Medicaid Policies and Publications. The site is: http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/index.shtml

Health Care Advance Directives: This page on the AHCA website explains about the different types of Health Care Advance Directives (Living Will and Health Care Surrogate) and provides samples that can be printed. The website is: http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/MCHQ/Health_Facility_Regulation/
HC_Advance_Directives/index.shtml

Social Security Online - Supplemental Security Income -- This website provides information from the Social Security Administration that explains who is eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The information is long and detailed, but very complete.
The website is: http://www.ssa.gov/notices/supplemental-security-income/

Adolescent Health Transition Project -- The Adolescent Health Transition Project is designed to help smooth the transition from pediatric to adult health care for teens with special health care needs. This site is a resource for information, materials, and links to other people with an interest in health transition issues. The information is easy to understand and it includes information for health care professionals, children and teens with special health care needs, and their families.
The website is: http://depts.washington.edu/healthtr/index.html

Quick Tips - When Talking with Your Doctor -- This page is from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Policy, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It provides ideas and suggestions that teens can use as they learn how to be more responsible for their own health care needs and take an active role in making decisions about their care.
The website is: http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/quicktips/doctalk.htm
 

For more information please contact your local CMS office:

• CMS Network contact list