About Children's Medical Services

The Children's Medical Services (CMS) program provides a family-centered and coordinated system of care for children with special health care needs. The CMS network of providers links community-based health care services with university-based medical specialty programs and includes prevention and intervention services, primary care, medical and therapeutic specialty care, and long term care for children with special health care needs.

Children with special health care needs are those children under age 21 whose serious or chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions require extensive preventive and maintenance care beyond that required by typically healthy children.

Goals and Values

CMS believes that children enrolled in CMS and their families are the most important members of the child's health care team; that children and their families should be involved in all aspects of care plan decision-making; and that families should be satisfied with the services they receive.

CMS believes that every child should have a medical home. A medical home provides primary health care services that are on-going and comprehensive; family-centered and coordinated; and compassionate and culturally effective.

CMS believes that all children will be screened early and continuously assessed for emerging or changing health care needs.

CMS believes that community-based service systems should be organized so that children with special health care needs and their families can use them easily.

CMS believes that youth and young adults with special health care needs receive services that enable them to successfully transition to all aspects of adult life.

Statutory Authority

The CMS Program, within the Department of Health, is Florida's Title V Agency, and services the State's children with special health care needs. Authority for Children's Medical Services is established under the following Federal and State statutes:

Federal

• Titles V, XIX, and XXI, Social Security Act
• Early Steps: IDEA, Part C, 34 CFR Part 303

State

• Children's Medical Services (CMS): Chapter 391 FS
• Child Protection Team (CPT) Program: Chapter 39.303 FS
• Florida Newborn Screening Program: Chapter 383.14 FS
• Poison Prevention Program: Chapter 395.1027 FS
• Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers: Chapter 383.15-21 FS
• Blood Disorders or Cancer: Chapter 385.206, FS
• Florida KidCare: Chapters 391.026 FS and 409.813-409.814 FS