INTENTIONAL EMPOWERMENT
Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs Regional Offices Satellite Clinics
Paducah
UNION
Owensboro
HENDERSON
WEBSTER
Louisville
KEIS KIPDA
Elizabethtown
McLEAN
DAVIESS
OHIO
BRECKINRIDGE
GRAYSON
MEADE
HARDIN
JEFFERSON
BULLITT
LARUE
Lexington
OLDHAM
NELSON
SPENCER
CARROLL
HENRY
SHELBY
WASHINGTON
MARION
ANDER- SON
BOONE
OWEN
FRANK- LIN
MERCER
BOYLE
GRANT
WOOD- FORD
SCOTT
JESSA- MINE
LINCOLN
PENDLE- TON
FAYETTE
HARRISON
BOURBON
MADISON
Maysville
BRACKEN
CLARK
ROB- ERT- SON
NICHOLAS
ESTILL
JACKSON
MASON
FLEMING
BATH
POWELL
MENIFEE
LEE
OWSLEY
Morehead
LEWIS
ROWAN
WOLFE
MORGAN
BREATHITT
GREENUP
CARTER
ELLIOT
BOYD
LAWRENCE
JOHNSON
FLOYD
MARTIN
PIKE
Ashland
Pikeville
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BALLARD
CARLISLE
HICKMAN
FULTON
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GRAVES |
CRITTENDEN
CALDWELL
LYON
MARSHALL TRIGG
CALLOWAY
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HOPKINS
CHRISTIAN
MUHLENBERG
TODD
LOGAN
BUTLER
SIMPSON
WARREN
EDMONSON
ALLEN
HART
BARREN
GREEN
METCALFE
MONROE
TAYLOR
ADAIR
CUMBER- LAND
CLINTON
CASEY
RUSSELL
WAYNE
PULASKI
ROCKCASTLE
McCREARY
LAUREL
WHITLEY
KNOX
CLAY
BELL
LESLIE
PERRY
HARLAN
KNOTT
LETCHER
Prestonsburg
Hazard
Bowling Green Somerset Corbin
Harlan Manchester
Barbourville
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5 / 2022 |
1925 fiscal year , 700 children were awaiting a medical evaluation and 571 medical treatments . By 1927 , these numbers had nearly doubled and continued to grow through the decade and into the 1930s , partly related to epidemics of poliomyelitis in the state .
In 1935 , the Social Security Act became federal law and provided funds to support maternal and child welfare , including CYSHCN , through provisions in Title V . The federal Children ’ s Bureau recognized the work of the Kentucky Commission , enabling Kentucky to become one of the first three states to receive federal funding allocated to the care of CYSHCN . Through the years , the commission endured many changes in name and finances . In 1973 , the commission was abolished as an independent state agency by an executive order . However , its services continued through local health agencies under the Cabinet for Human Resources . Due to concerns that the dissolution of the commission had negatively impacted the state ’ s ability to provide care for CYSHCN , the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission ( LRC ) launched an investigation . Based on the LRC ’ s findings and recommendations , the commission ( known as the Commission for Handicapped Children at the time ) was re-established as an independent state agency in 1984 by Governor Martha Layne Collins . The Board of Commissioners was disbanded in 2018 , and the agency was renamed The Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs ( OCSHCN ) as we know it today .
Today , the work of OCSHCN continues to be supported by state and Title V federal funds , now known as the Maternal and Child Health block grant . OCSHCN provides direct medical specialty care , care coordination , administers the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention ( EHDI ) program , is the largest Point of Entry for the Kentucky Early Intervention System ( KEIS , formerly known as “ First Steps ,”) and operates the Family to Family ( F2F ) Health Information Center . OCSHCN ’ s 124-member staff provides services at 11 locations throughout the state for children in each of Kentucky ’ s 120 counties . In 2022 , OCSHCN provided 40,325 specialty medical clinic visits , care coordination for 3,093 children , hearing screening for 49,985 newborns and early intervention services for 3,414 infants living in and around Jefferson County . OCSHCN benefits from the generous service of its medical staff that consists of over 120 physicians , dentists , nurse practitioners , physician assistants and psychologists .
After 100 years , OCSHCN remains a visible leader as we pursue our vision of enhancing the quality of life for children across the Commonwealth . We will continue to provide our best service and education for the children and families that we serve , health care professionals and community leaders . We are grateful for the support of our medical and community partners and will seek new opportunities to collaborate with physicians and health care organizations , other state agencies and community service organizations . Cheers to 100 years of service and many more to come !
If you would like to learn more about OCSHCN services such as medical and financial eligibility requirements , EHDI , KEIS or F2F , please visit our website , https :// www . chfs . ky . gov / agencies / ocshcn / Pages / default . aspx .
If you would like to learn how you can support our work , please email OCSHCNMedicalDirector @ ky . gov .
Dr . Morgan is a child neurologist and Medical Director of the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs ( OCSHCN ).
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