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Medically Fragile Children
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The Unforgotten Families

Medically fragile children aren’t getting the homecare they need.

As the percentage of medically fragile children continues to steadily increase, this fragile population is finding it more challenging than ever to receive necessary treatment. This vulnerable population needs to be heard, and state Governors and the leaders of the Department of Health have the ability to act swiftly on the solution.

Where The Unforgotten Families comes in.

Through the Unforgotten Families, Team Select is bringing awareness to the challenges faced by medically fragile children and their families, and advocating to provide a solution through the Family CNA Program. The Family CNA Program provides the family members with the opportunity to become trained, certified caregivers for their loved one. Parents not only provide the highest quality of support, they also ensure an on-going continuity of care.

The Problem
Why have families across the nation been struggling for decades to receive the in-home nursing care the state is obligated to provide for them?

The demand for nursing care to medically fragile children outweighs the supply of nurses available to provide the care.

Medicaid reimbursement rates for Private Duty Nursing (PDN) have remained stagnant for decades.

Often, the result of these challenges is that reliable homecare nursing can’t be arranged.

These children remain stuck for extended periods of time in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities, awaiting homecare nurse staffing to be arranged.

On average every day spent in a facility costs the state ~$4,500; a number 10-15x more expensive than the average cost of care needed to remain safely at home.

Parents are forced to quit employment and remain home to ensure the care needs for the medically fragile children are met, usually with little to no medical training or oversight.

The Solution

Under the Family CNA Program, parents and family members can receive free training to become Certified Nursing Assistants, be hired by a home health agency, and be paid to take on many of the lower acuity medical tasks currently being performed by nurses. The benefits are enormous:

• Parents and family members receive free training for the country’s fastest-growing job.

• The state saves about 30% on every hour of nursing care that is replaced by a CNA.

• By working 30 hours per week, the entire family receives a full medical benefits package, 401k, etc.

• The hospitalization rate for these children drops by ~80% when cared for by loved ones under this model, dramatically reducing the overall cost of care at a time when state Medicaid budgets desperately need savings.

• The children are much safer from potential exposure to additional complications due to reduction in hospitalizations and the number of nurses coming in and out of the home.

MORE

About the family cNA program

The current Private Duty Nursing model yields inconsistent care, staff turnover, and increased re-hospitalizations that cost the state on average $4,264 per day.
*American Academy of Pediatrics
The Family CNA Program provides medically fragile children and their families with:
Improved Access to Care

The nursing shortage crisis has created an access-to-care barrier for these families. By allowing family members to become trained, certified caregivers for their loved ones solves the staffing crisis that often has these families receiving partial care or extended facility stays.

Increased Quality of Care

No one can bring the same level of passion and attention to caregiving as a parent can for their own child. Parents provide the highest quality of support and ensure an ongoing continuity of care.

Job Creation

At no cost to the state or family members, we will fund training and overall certification for families participating in the Family CNA Program within states where it has been implemented.