Children with Special Healthcare Needs

Children with Special Healthcare Needs (CSHCN) are defined by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau as: "Those who have one or more chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally".

To accommodate these children within the district, there are both central and individual school-based components that encompass areas including health services, academic guidance, mental health supports, health education and other areas that directly or indirectly support a child’s academic achievement. At the school level the nurse is expected to be part of these support teams and provide interpretation of health data.

The Individual Collaborative Health Plan (ICHP) is the starting point for providing health information about children who made need accommodations. It is a collaboration between the student’s doctor, the family and the school nurse and contains consents to communicate.