News and general information related to Family Voices of Alabama is provided below.

• AMCHP National Standards of Care
  The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP), with support from the Lucille Packard Foundation for Children's Health, has released a groundbreaking set of standards (pdf) and companion background white paper (pdf) designed to help communities, states, and the national build and improve systems of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN).

  The standards address the core components of the structure and process of an effective system of care for CYSHCN and are intended for use or adaptation by a wide range of stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels.  CRS will work with other ADRS divisions (including Alabama's Early Intervention System and Vocational Rehabilitation Services) as well as community agencies and partners to incorporate these standards into all aspects of care and policymaking for the CYSHCN population in the state of Alabama.

  • AMCHP National Standards of Care (pdf)
  • Background White Paper (pdf)
     
• Affordable Care Act is changing health insurance options. See our two new tip sheets and the fact sheet listed below:
• Things to Consider When Evaluating a Health Insurance Plan (Tip Sheet - pdf)
• Reviewing Your Health Insurance Coverage - Key Questions (Tip Sheet - pdf)
• The Affordable Care Act and Your Child's Eyes (Fact Sheet - pdf)
   
• Many of our Resources are now available in Spanish
  Review our Downloads Page to see what is available. If you cannot find what you (or your client needs), please contact us. Limited quantities of our printed and assembled health care notebook are available. Voice messages in Spanish will be forwarded to our Spanish-speaking outreach worker. She will return your call.
  Los mensajes de voz en español serán enviados a nuestro agente de extensión de habla española. Se le devolverá la llamada.
   
• Alabama Respite is in the process of gathering information from caregivers throughout the state about connecting with individual respite providers (non-agency providers). Click here to go to their survey. Contact Java Bennett, Director of Respite Services Alabama Lifespan Respite Resource Network ™ UCP Huntsville at (256) 859-4900 or www.alabamarespite.org.
   
• Free iPhone app:   Polyglot Med Spanish is easy to use and the perfect tool to bridge the communication gap between health care providers and Spanish-speaking patients. Polyglot Med Spanish offers immediate audio translation of over 3,000 common words, phrases and assessment questions from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English.
   
• Medical Home. From National Center for Medical Home Implementation learn how a medical home can support transitioning from pediatric to adult care in our medical home interview video series at http://youtu.be/6JfCsjxpLfo
  
• Medical Home for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs – A Review of the Evidence. Click here.
   
• Getting health care funded is no game, but you can test your knowledge of Medicaid and CHIP while having fun or with this link to a quiz on Medicaid from Kaiser Family Foundation.
   
• June 24, 2013, HHS Press Office
  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has redesigned the HealthCare.gov website. Individuals, families, and small businesses can use this consumer-friendly site to learn about health coverage options and the health insurance Marketplaces.
   
• Gov. Bentley signs state Medicaid reform legislation, Senate Bill 340 on June 11, 2013 - learn more by clicking here.
   
• No Alabama Insurance Exchange. On November 13, 2012, Governor Bentley announced that Alabama will not set up state insurance exchange. To read the Governor's entire statement - click here. What the Kaiser Family Foundation says - click here.
   
• November 8: Bentley, other governors discuss looming health care exchange deadline blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/11/alabama_other_states_face_big.html
   
• 9 Nov. 12, Panel looks at pros, cons of expanding Medicaid in light of Obama's re-election 
  www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20121109/NEWS02/311080024/ Panel-looks-pros-cons-expanding-Medicaid-light-Obama-s-re-election
   
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  For Immediate Release: August 29, 2012 Contact: Division of News & Electronic Media, Office of Communication (404) 639-3286
  Children with neurologic disorders at high risk of death from flu
  Neurologic disorders were reported in nearly two-thirds of pH1N1-associated pediatric deaths with an underlying medical condition. Because of the potential for severe outcomes, children with underlying neurologic disorders should receive influenza vaccine and be treated early and aggressively if they develop influenza-like illness. Press release emphasizes the importance of influenza vaccination to protect children with neurologic disorders.  Read the CDC press release.
   
• Revised CPT book includes new codes for care coordination: The changes are intended to better capture the work physicians and others at medical practices do to manage patients with complex chronic conditions.
  By Victoria Stagg Elliott, amednews staff. Posted Aug. 16, 2012.
  The American Medical Association added codes to the CPT 2013 Professional Edition for care coordination that patients with complicated, ongoing health issues receive within a patient-centered medical home, accountable care organization or other novel medical service delivery model. The codes should be used for claims filed as of Jan. 1, 2013. Click here to view the entire article.

• The Supreme Court ruled the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is constitutional. Click here to view the Association of Maternal and Child Health Program statement. The Supreme Court’s decision essentially made optional the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, which was intended to cover all individuals under age 65 with incomes below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).  As of June 29, 2012, Alabama's Gov. Robert Bentley (R) had not decided whether Alabama will opt out of the Medicaid expansion, according to Jennifer Ardis, Bentley’s press secretary, AP/CBS News reports. In a statement on his website, Bentley said, “I am deeply disappointed by today’s Supreme Court decision,” but he did not address the court’s ruling on the Medicaid expansion (AP/CBS News, 6/29; Bentley statement, 6/28). Read more at ahlalerts.com/2012/07/03/medicaid-where-each-state-stands-on-the-medicaid-expansion/
   
• Affordable Care Act Supports Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs - May 23, 2012 - Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $4.9 million in Affordable Care Act funding to support Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, primarily non-profit organizations run by and for families with children with special health care needs. Read more at www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/05/20120523a.html
  
  
• Family Voices Statement on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - March 26, 2010 - Open the PDF file with the FV Statement
   
• Rotary Club of Mobile Establishes Dental Care Program for Special Needs Children - www.southalabama.edu/ usahealthsystem/pressreleases/2009pr/062909.html
   
• Nutrition Services, Prevention Important in Nutrition Care for Special Health Needs - Monday, February 01, 2010 - www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?id=4294967985
   
• Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, Title V of the Social Security Act: How it works in Alabama see www.amchp.org/Advocacy/State%20Profiles/ Alabama%20State%20Profile%20FINAL%202009.pdf
   
• American Academy of Pediatrics has launched a new website. Visit it at
  www.HealthyChildren.org

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DISCLAIMER: Within this web site, there are links to "outside sites" which are not managed by the Family Voices of Alabama (FV of AL).  FV of AL does not endorse nor recommend the information or products posted on these sites, and receives no payment or other consideration for providing these links.