The Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC) was recently awarded the Family-to-Family (F2F) Health Information Center grant! In addition to helping families navigate the special education system we also specialize in helping families navigate health related systems in NC. Some commonly asked questions are: 


  1. Does my child qualify for Medicaid? 
  2. How do I apply for the Innovations Waiver? 
  3. How do I connect with other families who have a child with the same disability or diagnosis as my child? 
  4. How can I find a provider that accepts my insurance?
  5. My family doesn't seem to qualify for anything. Are there resources for us?


We support providers too! Have a question? Call us at 1-800-962-6817 or click the button below to use the "work with a Parent Educator" feature on our website. You can also email Christy Moore, Family-to-Family Health Information Center Program Lead at cmoore@ecacmail.org


CLICK HERE to contact a Parent Educator

Infant Formula Shortage Information Hub

Many families are having difficulty finding formula for their children. Community Nutrition Services in the Division for Child and Family Well-Being has created an Infant Formula Shortage Information Hub (link) with information on topics such as formula comparisons, formula options for families who receive WIC, breastfeeding support and more. 

NC Medicaid Managed Care Behavioral Health and I/DD Tailored Plan Launches December 1, 2022

North Carolina will launch the NC Medicaid Managed Care Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plan on December 1, 2022. This is a health plan for individuals with significant behavioral health needs and intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DDs). The Behavioral Health I/DD Tailored Plan will also serve other special populations. 


Who qualifies for a Tailored Plan?


  • People who get Innovations Waiver services


  • People who get Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Waiver services



  • People who may have a mental health disorder, substance use disorder, intellectual /developmental disability (I/DD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI).


Read information on Tailored Plan Services HERE (Link)

Tailored Plan auto-enrollment begins August 15, 2022. If you are auto-enrolled in a Tailored Plan or have the option to choose a Tailored Plan, you will receive a notice in the mail. Tailored Plans will start December 1, 2022. 

Read More About Tailored Plans  Here

Community Alternatives Program for Children (CAP/C) and Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults (CAP/DA) COVID-19 Transition Plan Volunteer Request

In March 2020, NC Medicaid temporarily changed how the Community Alternatives Program for Children (CAP/C) and Disabled Adults (CAP/DA) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers would be carried out during the COVID-19 public health emergency.


The CAP unit within NC Medicaid is seeking volunteers to assist with creating a plan for safer service delivery through the CAP waivers that will reduce risks from highly contagious viruses such as COVID-19. Volunteers will participate in meetings that will focus on the policies created to manage the public health emergency that began in March 2020. The time commitment for these meetings is anticipated to be 2.5 hours, two times per month for four to six months, beginning in July 2022.


If interested in participating, please take a moment to complete the interest survey. To ensure a good representation of membership for these work sessions, the selection of volunteers will be based on county of residence and CAP program enrollment. Stakeholder engagements are open to the public; anyone can listen to work sessions, but the selected volunteers will offer recommendations.  

 

The survey will close at 11:30 pm on July 15.

Click Here to Fill Out the SURVEY

Children Ages 6 Months and Older are Now Eligible to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine


Children ages 6 months and older can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all children who are eligible receive a COVID-19 vaccine. These vaccines were tested and reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC and their independent scientific committees to ensure they are safe for children. Children ages 6 months to younger than 5 get a smaller vaccine dose than any other age group.


Everyone ages 6 months and older can receive a free COVID-19 vaccine, even if they don’t have health insurance and regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. All children and adults 6 months and older can receive a free COVID-19 vaccine, even if they don’t have health insurance and regardless of their immigration status. Parents and guardians with questions about COVID-19 vaccines should talk with their child's doctor. Parents and guardians can also visit MySpot.nc.gov (link) to search for a nearby vaccine provider and find additional information. 

Read More About COVID-19 Vaccination and Children Here

NCDHHS is Working to Make Free at Home COVID Tests Easily Available Across NC


The NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is establishing Community Access Points in all 100 counties where North Carolinians can find free and easy at-home COVID tests. (Link)


Information on where to find at-home tests is available at: 

covid19.ncdhhs.gov/PickUpTests. (Link)


Information on how and where to find all testing locations in North Carolina is available at:

 covid19.ncdhhs.gov/FindTests. (Link)



Read More About COVID-19 Testing Here

Credit: ADA National Network (adata.org) 1-800-949-4232

The Americans with Disabilities Act Turns 32 This Year! 

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. This law was passed in 1990 and helps to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life.

Learn More About the ADA Here

ECAC is providing this newsletter as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the ECAC.ECAC is not a legal services agency. We cannot and do not provide legal representation or advice, and information contained in this newsletter should not be used or considered as such. 

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This newsletter is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $93,175 with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.