By Yelizaveta Mikhaylova
All children deserve to feel safe and healthy. A child who is born with or develops a complicated medical diagnosis is eligible for many services and supports.
Parents and guardians are not always informed of available options of care when their child is determined to be “medically complex.” Medically complex means that a child may need more medical support to be able to do daily living activities. The child may require doctor supervision at least once a week, or a daily nurse, or may need a hospital/skilled nursing facility. If your child has such needs, the following are frequently asked questions and resources that may be available to you, depending on the needs of your child:
1) Do waiver services benefit my child?
Waiver Programs became available based on a court decision, which determined that segregation of people with disabilities is unlawful discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Waivers provide home and community-based services for those who prefer long-term medical care at home over an institution. Ohio has several waivers for care that serve specific populations.
To be eligible for a waiver program under Medicaid, a person must meet two requirements including meeting financial limits for Medicaid and the medical level of care eligibility criteria based on the child’s disabilities, medical treatment, and monitoring needed. Waiver enrollment is capped. Even if a person meets all the requirements, a spot may still not be available. For more information, visit medicaid.ohio.gov or call 800.324.8680.
2) Have you applied for SSI?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) exists for adults and children with disabilities to offer financial support for basic needs like clothing and food. To be eligible for services, parents/guardians must meet the SSI income limit and resource limit, and the child must have severe disability based on Social Security’s rules. For more information, visit ssa.gov or call 800.772.1213.
3) Does your child need an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan?
A medical diagnosis does not carry over automatically to your child’s school. If you think that your child’s disability is impacting them, you should request an evaluation in writing from your child’s school to figure out what kind of support they need in the school setting. School staff will discuss your child’s progress with you to determine if an evaluation needs to be completed or if any additional support needs to be incorporated. If your child is eligible, the plan will include services, supports, and accommodations to address your child’s needs. For more information, see education.ohio.gov/Topics/Special-Education or call 614.466.2650.
This article was published in Legal Aid's newsletter, "The Alert" Volume 40, Issue 1, in Fall 2024. See full issue at this link: “The Alert”- Volume 40, Issue 1.