| The
Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN) has its roots in the
generosity of Arizonans and the foresight of policy-makers. In 1929, Ruth
Wendell opened the doors to the Arizona Society for Crippled Children.
This was the start of a series of charitable programs to help poor children with
handicapping conditions.
In 1935, the federal
government passed the Social Security Act. Title V is the section which
established programs for children and pregnant women. As part of the children's
services, recognition was made of the special health care needs of many
children.
|
Ruth Wendell
1887 - 1969
|
| These
state and federal programs eventually led to what is now known as the Children's
Rehabilitative Services (CRS) program. For many years, CRS was the only
program in the Arizona Department of Health Services that addressed the issues
of children and youth with special health care needs (C/YSHCN). Then, in 1992,
OCSHCN was formed in order to focus attention on the public health and system of
care needs of this population, their families and their communities. In
1997, CRS and OCSHCN were merged, permitting a coordinated and comprehensive
approach to the planning, implementation and evaluation of programs and
policies. |
|
|
|
