Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs

Every parent could use a helping hand, but some parents are in need of special assistance with the health issues their children with special needs face. Our public health nurses are committed to helping parents and their children with disabilities or serious physical or mental health problems.

Children are eligible for extra help if they:

  • Are at risk for chronic conditions
  • Are under the age of 18 and live in Snohomish County
  • Have a serious health or developmental problem
  • Require more health and related services than are generally needed

Help for children with special needs

The Snohomish County Health Department’s Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program offers federal and state-funded support to families for a range of health problems, including premature infants, children with autism and teens with diabetes. Children with Special Health Care Needs Program Brochure (PDF).

How the program helps parents of children with special needs:

  • Assessing children’s needs
  • Educating and counseling parents
  • Linking families to health care and community resources

To learn more about the program, please contact the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Coordinator at (425) 258-8401. 

To apply for services, please fill out the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) form and fax or mail to the address listed on the form.

Access to Baby & Child Dentistry 

dentist teaching kid to brush teethChildren’s oral health is important and getting children connected to a dentist is critical for keeping a child healthy. The Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program connects Apple Health (Medicaid) insured children from birth up to age six with specially-trained dentists in their communities. 

ABCD benefits recently expanded to include children and youth with special health care needs who have a Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) indicator up to the child’s 13th birthday.

More information

Newsletter for providers: Child Health Notes

A newsletter is mailed to Snohomish County medical providers 2 to 4 times each year in partnership with the Snohomish County Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program. Child Health Notes provide information for early identification and management of special health and developmental concerns. Formatted as a concise double-sided newsletter, each Child Health Note covers a specific topic and includes contact information for local, state, and national resources. To read current and past issues, click on a link below.