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Medicaid Buy-in Medicaid Buy-In for Children with Disabilities What is the Children’s Me dicaid Buy-In? The Health First Colorado Buy-In Program for Children with Disabilities allows families who make too much to qualify for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program)and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) to “buy into” Health First Colorado coverage for their child with a disability by paying a monthly premium based on the family’s income. Who Qualifies? Children age 19 and under, with a qualifying disability per the Social Security Administration (SSA) A determination of disability by the SSA is accepted as proof of disability Children not certified through the SSA can still be determined disabled by the State by completing the Health First Colorado Disability application Family income must be below 300% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL), after income disregards are calculated The Children’s Buy-In may be an option for: Families of children with disabilities who are over income or resources for other Medicaid programs or CHP+; children on a waitlist for a children’s waiver (other than the C-HCBS waiver; contact us to learn more about this); children who do not qualify for waiver services; children who do not have health insurance or who need coverage as a wrap-around to other insurance. Learn More: Read the full overview and Frequently Asked Questions from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF). Visit HCPF’s page about the Children’s Buy-In for all the details. Apply: Download the Medicaid Application for Medical Assistance and the Medicaid Disability Application (both are required). Apply online through the Program Eligibility and Application Kit (PEAK) . Note that you will also need to complete and submit the disability application, linked above, on paper rather than online.buy in premium chart

Find more help Agencies & Resource Organizations Ability Connection Colorado Service Name Service Name Service Name Service Name Service Name

Explore Resources Fast Facts FAST FACTS - Medicaid Agencies Colorado Agencies & Resources Disability Specific Organizations Family Voices Affiliates Health Coverage HCBS Medicaid Waivers Medicaid Buy-in Connect for Health Life Stages Transition Guides Navigating Healthcare Transitions Transition Guide by Life Domain Transition Guide by Age

Support our cause Learn how you can help VOLUNTEER Contact us to learn about volunteer opportunities with Family Voices Colorado DONATE We depend on our donors to be able to serve our community. Help us on our important mission SHARE YOUR STORY We would be honored to share your story with our community. Contact us if you are interested. Join our "No Cuts to Disability Medicaid" Campaign Help Family Voices Colorado Advocate for our Families! We are compiling personal stories to ensure that the faces of those impacted are in front of decision-makers. If Medicaid is essential to your family, please help by sharing! Send us a photo of your child or family along with brief responses to as many of the following questions as you feel comfortable: • Child’s Name, City & State, Age, and Disability/Medical Condition • How has Medicaid helped your child? (Examples: therapies, medications, equipment, specialist care, etc.) • How has Medicaid supported your family as a whole? (Examples: reducing financial stress, allowing parents to work, accessing necessary care) • What would happen if Medicaid services were reduced or cut? Be specific about the challenges your child and family would face. • What do you want lawmakers to understand about your child’s needs and the role of Medicaid? Send your info to megan@familyvoicesco.org and we will compile these into advocacy materials like the example to share with legislators, policymakers, and media. By submitting a photo and story, you are giving Family Voices Colorado permission to share them publicly for advocacy and education. Email Us No Cuts

About Us Who we are Overviw Overview of Family Voices Colorado Family Voices Colorado is a grassroots organization run by parents of children with special healthcare needs. The support you receive is from someone who understands the many challenges of having a child with special health care needs in their life. Every day we give parents the information and knowledge they need to navigate complex health care systems in order to get things like wheelchairs, oxygen, or a surgery for their children. With our help, parents are able to be the heroes their children are counting on! Parents also receive the information about other systems they should access based on their child’s diagnosis and needs. Family Voices CO works at the policy level to ensure children with special health care needs have a voice. We listen to the challenges from the family perspective, tracking trends, in order to create systems change. We monitor policy activities to ensure families receive the services they need. Colorado’s health care systems – both public and private –are difficult for families to navigate . Family Voices CO understands both the private and public health systems. They also understand how the systems can work together. Through working with Family Voices CO, parents are supported and empowered , resulting in stronger families and an increased ability to advocate effectively on behalf of their children. Families of children with special healthcare needs often access multiple systems. Consequently, they experience the system barriers more quickly. Family Voices CO collaborates with the systems working to reduce the barriers through policy work and systems change. Family Voices CO promotes improved decision-making, better outcomes and higher quality services for all. F2F Heah info Center What is a Family-to-Family Information Center? Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2Fs) are family-led centers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). There is one F2F in each state, in the District of Columbia, in five U.S. territories, and there are three F2Fs serving tribal communities. Family Voices Colorado is the Family-to-Family Health Information Center for the State of Colorado. Each F2F is staffed by highly-skilled, knowledgeable family members who have first-hand experience and understanding of the challenges faced by families of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN). These uniquely qualified staff provide critical support to families caring for CYSHCN, particularly families of children with complex needs and those from diverse communities. F2Fs also assist providers, state and federal agencies, legislators, and other stakeholders to better understand and serve CYSHCN and their families. How do Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Help? How Do F2Fs Help Families? Each F2F provides free, 1:1 assistance to families, helping them: • Find appropriate care and services • Apply for Medicaid, CHIP, or private insurance • Get referrals to providers • Address insurance denials • Identify and access community support programs • Advocate to ensure effective and cost-efficient care • Connect with parent mentors How Do F2Fs Help Providers and Systems? F2Fs also work with health care professionals, hospitals, and public agencies to help them better meet the needs of CYSHCN and their families. They most often request assistance for: • Obtaining help for a patient/family • Addressing changes to state policies and programs • Learning about family experiences • Partnering to improve services Family Voices Colorado... Provides public awareness of the challenges and barriers of children and youth with special health care needs and their families Meet the Staff Meet the Team Megan Bowser Jill Hampton Administrator Juli Culver Director of Operations & Development Christy Blakely Senior Advisor Jamie Stefanski Family Navigator Executive Director Corinne DePersis Family Navigator Brenda Delgado Bilingual Family Navigator Kayleigh Sheble Family Navigator Maggie Kerzan Family Navigator Aubree McKinney Family Navigator Advisory Boar Family Voices Colorado Board of Directors Todd Blakely President Parent Member Attorney Cordelia (Corry) Robinson Rosenberg PhD, RN Treasurer Professor Pediatrics and Psychiatry Lance Wheeland Legislative Aide Justin Gutierrez Parent Member VP of Home Health Agency Benny Mudiar Parent Member Professor Heidi Haines Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association Jim Brennan Parent Member Film Maker

Find more help Agencies & Resource Organizations Colorado Agencies & Resources Disability-Specific Orgs Colorado Agencies and Resources Ability Connection Colorado www.abilityconnectioncolorado.org Contact: 303-691-9339 Matching parents one on one with each other for support. They connect families of children and adults with special needs by either phone, computer or in person. The Arc of Colorado : www.thearcofco.org Contact: 800-333-7690 The Arc builds better lives for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families by improving connections to schools, work and the community. Can provide an advocate to assist families through the IEP process. Assistive Technology Partners : Contact: 303-315-1284 ATP assists persons with cognitive, sensory, and/or physical disabilities reach their highest potential at home, school, work and play through the addition of appropriate assistive technologies to their lives. Child Find / Early Intervention Colorado https://cdec.colorado.gov/ Contact: 888-777-4041 Colorado has a Child Find system for appropriately identifying infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities, and timelines for making referrals to local early intervention programs at no cost to parents. Community-Centered Boards (CCBs) Colorado has 20 CCB organizations serving children and adults with developmental disabilities. They determine eligibility for community-based services and provide case management services. CCB’s also assist individuals with gaining access to Medicaid Waivers. Waiver programs provide additional Medicaid benefits to individuals with special needs. Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP) Contact: 303-573-5669 The Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP) works to promote justice, economic security, access to health care, and sound fiscal policies for the people or Colorado through advocacy, litigation, education, and research. Colorado Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF): Contact: 303-866-2993 Provides access to cost-effective, quality health care services. The Department administers the Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus programs as well as a variety of other programs for Colorado’s low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Colorado Home and Community Based Service Waivers (Medicaid): Medicaid is a health care program for low income Coloradans. Applicants must meet eligibility criteria for one of the Medicaid Program categories in order to qualify for benefits. Major program categories include Aid to Families with Dependent Children/Medicaid Only, Colorado Works/TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), Baby Care/Kids Care, Aid to the Needy Disabled, Aid to the Blind, and Old Age Pension. For more information on Medicaid Waivers: Choosing an HCBS Waiver for Children Children’s Waivers Choosing an HCBS Waiver for Adults Adult Waivers Colorado Respite Coalition (CRC): Contact: 303-619-1437 CRC is community partners who explore, connect, and support community organizations and individuals interested in creating a variety of respite programs. Disability Law Colorado : Contact: 303-722-0300 Specialize in civil rights and discrimination issues. They protect the human and legal rights of people with mental and physical disabilities throughout Colorado. Easter Seals Colorado : Contact: 303-233-1666 Easter Seals is dedicated to supporting people with disabilities and their families as they live, learn, work and play in their communities. El Grupo VIDA : Contact: 303-335-9875 Provides information, referrals, and support for Spanish speaking parents. Ombudsman (Medicaid): 877-435-7123 email: help123@maximus.com Ombudsman help solve problems with your health care issues (both physical and mental health) for Medicaid Managed Care patients. They also help with health care rights and with grievances and appeals. Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs (HCP): Contact: 303-692-2370 HCP offers support for families with children with special needs and focuses on care coordination and providing specialty clinics throughout the state of Colorado. HCP services are available to children with special needs, regardless of insurance status or family income. Healthy Communities, Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing: Contact: 303-866-2267 Healthy Communities combines aspects of the Early Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) outreach and administrative case management program and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) outreach into one model that better meets the needs of clients. This outreach and case management model takes into account that many families have one child enrolled in Medicaid while another is enrolled in CHP+. The distinction between Medicaid and CHP+ benefits and services isn’t always clear. Family Health Coordinators are available statewide to help Colorado Medicaid and CHP+ families through the Healthy Communities program. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES JFK Partners : Contact: 303-742-5266 JFK promotes the independence, inclusion, contribution, health and well-being of people with special needs, through consumer, community, and university partnerships. PEAK Parent Center : Colorado’s Parent Training & Info Center (PTI): Contact: 800-284-0251 Provides information about all types of disabilities, training on a variety of topics and technical assistance on your child’s IEP. Show and Tell: Contact: 303-632-6840 Show and Tell empowers low-income, culturally diverse families to be advocates for their children with disabilities to achieve success in their schools and communities. Single Entry Point (SEP) : Single Entry Point (SEP) Agencies provide case management, care planning, and make referrals to other resources for clients with the following qualifying needs: elderly, blind and disabled, mental health, persons living with AIDS, brain injury, spinal cord injury, children with a life-limiting illness, children with a physical disability. Coloado Agencies & Resources Disabiliy spcific Org Disability-Specific Organizations Ability Connection Colorado : Contact: 303-691-9339 Autism Society of Colorado : Contact: 866-733-0794 Brain Injury Association of Colorado : Contact: 800-955-2443 Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind : Contact: 719-578-2100 EMPOWER Colorado : Contact: 866-213-4631 EMPOWER offers support, education, advocacy and resources to families with children and youth who have social, emotional or mental health challenges. Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado : Contact: 888-378-9779 Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health | Colorado Chapter: Contact: 888-569-7500 Learning Disability Association of Colorado : Contact: 303-894-0992 Mile High Down Syndrome Association : Contact: 303-797-1699 NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) Colorado : Contact: 888-566-6264 National Organization for Rare Disorders : Contact: 800-999-6673 Unique (Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group)

Family Coalition Better Together The Family Coalition is a new entity in the policy arena, representing Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) and disabilities. The Family Coalition is made up of five grassroots organizations who focus on the rights of families and their beloved family members with disabilities. We all share a common vision and values. This coalition strives to be the “go to” for policy makers and families with children and youth with disabilities in the State of Colorado. Coloado Agencies & Resources Disabiliy spcific Org What we can do for you: We are a resource We can provide testimony on the State Level and the Federal Level We can organize studies and research, related to CYSHCN. Our policy focus is ages 0-26 If we cannot help you, we will aim you the right direction to get a resource and/or an organization that can provide help Our Vision: The voices of families and individuals with disabilities are heard, valued, and respected. Our Values: Family-led Authentic Partnership Shared Knowledge The Family Coalition strives to be the “go to” for families with Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and disabilities, throughout the state of Colorado. Who We Are: El Grupo Vida El Grupo Vida empowers Spanish speaking families, including immigrants with disabilities and their families, with information, training, and direct advocacy to help become more self-sufficient and give that community a voice, raising awareness about their rights. Resource Center and Training Community Navigation Support Groups and Conferences Family Voices Colorado Family Voice CO works to improve health care access and equity for children and youth with special health care needs. 1:1 Systems Navigation for Families and Professionals Education and Training on Healthcare and Disability Systems Policy Work to Improve the Systems that Serve CYSHCN Parent to Parent Colorado Parent to Parent of Colorado works to connect families of individuals with disabilities to peer support. One-to-one Trained Support Parent Matching Private Online Discussion Group for Caregivers Virtual Support groups & Books Clubs Peak Parent Center As a result of PEAK’s services to families and professionals, children and adults with disabilities will live rich, active lives participating as full members of their schools and communities. Parent Training & Information Center/Parent Advising & Support Personal Networks for Transition Through Education Building Inclusive Schools & Communities for Families Show and Tell Show and Tell informs and empowers ALL families particularly BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) families to speak on behalf of their children who have disabilities so they can become contributing members of their community. One-to-One Parent Advising Workshops and Trainings Informative Bi-weekly Newsletter

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A few extras Additional Resources Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Family Voices is an official Assistance Site for families and individuals applying for coverage through the marketplace (also called the exchange), specializing in assisting families of children and youth with special health care needs. Please visit http://www.connectforhealthco.com/ to learn more about the tools and options available there before calling us for assistance. Si Ud. habla español, aquí puede encontrar información sobre el sitio en su idioma: C4HCO en español . Entendemos que el sitio entero debería ser traducido al español el 1 de octubre. The Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice (CAHEP) has translated two informational flyers about Connect for Health Colorado into several languages to better serve the diverse population of Colorado. You can access CAHEP’s assistance site here. English: Connect for Health CO Basic Info-English Colorado Medicaid & Connect for Health CO Arabic: FactSheet-CAHEP-Arabic Flyer-Medicaid-CAHEP-Arabic Questionaire-CAHEP-Arabic Bhutanese: C4HCo-Bhutanese-Facts-v3 C4HCo-Butanese-CAHEP-Comparison-v3 C4HCo-Bhutanese-CAHEP-SurveyForm-v3 Chinese: C4HCoFacts-Chinese-v2 C4HCo-ComparisonFlyer-Chinese-v2 French: Factsheet-French-CAHEP-v2 Medicaid-French-CAHEP-v2 Korean: Factsheet-Korean Flyer-2-Korean (Hyun Moon)-Final

Medicaid waivers Home and Community-Based Services Waivers What are Medicaid Waivers? A Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver is an extra set of Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) benefits that you could qualify for in certain cases. These benefits can help you remain in your home and community. Learn More: General Info on HCBS Waivers Adult Waivers Children's Waivers Flowchart for choosing a Children's Waiver Children's Waivers (Spanish) Flowchart for choosing an Adult Waiver