Access to care among children with disabilities enrolled in the MassHealth CommonHealth Buy-In program

Caring for a Child With an Acquired Disability: Unveiling Light From Darkness

This study explored how parents of children with acquired disabilities transform loss into meaning when faced with traumatic experiences. This type of loss is ambiguous and different from that of the bereaved. Directed content analysis was guided by the predetermined categories of unveiling, darkness, and light. Stories from 8 parents revealed the ability to decide how they perceived their experiences, discovering meaning in caring for their child despite the suffering associated with loss. These findings offer direction for nursing research, practice, and policy on how to assist parents in overcoming these challenges and shed light on the dynamic perspectives of loss.

Financing Care for CYSHCN in the Next Decade: Reducing Burden, Advancing Equity, and Transforming Systems

Blueprint for Change: Guiding Principles for a System of Services for CYSHCN and Their Families (Blueprint for Change), presented by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the Health Resources and Services Administration, outlines principles and strategies that can be implemented at the federal and state levels and by health systems, health care providers, payors, and advocacy organizations to achieve a strong system of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). The vision for the financing of services outlined in the Blueprint for Change: Guiding Principles for a System of Services for CYSHCN and their Families is one in which health care and other related services are accessible, affordable, comprehensive, continuous, and prioritize the wellbeing of CYSHCN and their families. There are several barriers caused or exacerbated by health care financing policies and structures that pose significant challenges for families of CYSHCN, including finding appropriate and knowledgeable provider care teams, ensuring adequate and continuous coverage for services, and ensuring benefit adequacy. Racial disparities and societal risks all exacerbate these challenges. This article outlines recommendations for improving financing for CYSHCN, including potential innovations to address barriers, such as state Medicaid expansion for CYSHCN, greater transparency in medical necessity processes and determinations, and adequate reimbursement and funding. Financing innovations must use both current and new measures to assess value and provide evidence for iterative improvements. These recommendations will require a coordinated approach among federal and state agencies, the public sector, the provider community, and the families of CYSHCN.

Family support and family and child-related outcomes among families impacted by disability in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review

There is a growing interest in understanding the relationship between family support and family or child-related outcomes in high-income countries. However, this has received little attention in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this review was to explore the relationship between family support and family and child-related outcomes among families affected by disability in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a scoping review of five databases using search terms related to 'family', 'support', 'child', and 'disability'. A total of 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. Families of children with disabilities received most of their support from informal sources (e.g. immediate family members, friends, and parents support groups). Parental stress was most often evaluated as the family outcome and was negatively linked to emotional support and childcare assistance from immediate family members. Movement and mobility therapy offered by rehabilitation professionals was found to improve children's walking patterns. Positive attitudes from community members were key facilitators to participation of children with disabilities in social activities. The review calls for urgent attention to research in low- and middle-income countries, particularly the extent of support families are receiving from government-led support systems.