History

Improvements in the children and youth with special health care needs services began back in 1989 through amendments in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. These amendments to Title V of the 1935 Social Security Act, as well as the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, require states to provide family-centered, culturally competent, community-based, coordinated care.

As a result, in 1991 a statewide need assessment was conducted in partnership with parents and providers. A workgroup was later brought together to look at ways to take these findings and put them into action. With recommendations from this workgroup and others, the Wisconsin Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program embarked on a new vision for the delivery of services for families and children. Today this vision reflects a change from providing direct payment for specific medical services to the development of community-based services. With this, the concept of the five Regional Centers for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs was born.

In September of 1999, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin had the opportunity to apply and was later selected to receive funds to develop a regional Center in Southeast Wisconsin. The Southeast Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs is located at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

All five Regional Centers are committed to working together to form a statewide, coordinated system of care for children and youth with special health care needs and their families. The Centers began to offer services to families and providers in September 2000, after an initial period of start-up activities.

Click here to contact the staff at one of the other Regional Centers.