Special Editionof the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN)

Services Program Newsletter for Families

July 2015

EMERGENCYPREPAREDNESS

What you need to know.

Véase versión en español al dorso.

The recent flooding and severe weather across Texas remind us that disasters can happen at any time. See page 2 for tips on how you can keep your family safe.

Emergency Supply Kit

Emergency Information

Form

Medication Form

Emergency Plastic Bag

Also included in this issue

Pub. No. 07‑12275

Ready or not, disasters can strike at any moment and without warning.

When Disaster Hits, Will You Be Ready?

The recent flooding and severe weather across Texas remind us that disasters can happen at any time. You and your loved ones could be anywhere when it happens. You could be together at home or in your car, or separated while at work and school. As a family of a child with special needs, planning for an emergency is crucial. But how does one begin preparing for the unknown? Start with these four basic recommendations.

1 2 3 4

Find information. Know what types of natural or manmade disasters are most common in your area. As a family, you can visit your local fire and police departments to ask for emergency advice. You can also invite them to your home to meet and speak with your child. Look up online resources to help you prepare for emergencies. Finding out how to best prepare for them will help you build your plan and emergency kit.

Make a plan. Planning with your family before a disaster is the best way to ensure everyone stays safe, especially if your family is separated at the time of the emergency. Make sure you keep emergency contacts, agree on a meeting place (i.e., one near your home and one outside of your neighborhood), and have an evacuation plan or route to the nearest shelter. Once you have a plan in place, review and practice it with your family.

Build a kit. Determine which supplies and medicines your family needs each day. An emergency kit should have all the essentials your family would need for a 3‑day supply, such as nonperishable foods, water, medications, and hygiene and personal items. Your kit should be more than just a first aid kit. Make sure it stores your family’s important documents such as: birth certificates, insurance cards, the CSHCN Services Program ID Card, the CSHCN Services Program Medication Form, and the Emergency Information Form, etc. *

Stay informed. Stay current with local TV and radio news. If you have a smartphone, you can also follow your local news sources on social media if the power is out. You can also register for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance (STEAR) program to find available services for people with disabilities in your community during a disaster. Register online at https://STEAR.dps.texas.gov or dial 2-1-1. The program is voluntary and free. n

* Many of these forms are included with this mailing, as well as a plastic bag for you to store your forms in once you’ve filled them out.

CSHCN Services Program Newsletter for FamiliesTexas Department of State Health Services2

FEMA.gov www.fema.gov/media‑library‑data/1390849866881‑33d608585d1e0e55ff6fbb‑b1ad6f4765/ready _Disabilities_R‑6_2014.pdf

Ready.gov www.ready.gov/document /preparing‑makes‑sense‑people‑disabilities‑and‑special‑needs

Red Cross.org www.redcross.org/prepare /location/home‑family /disabilities

CSHCN Services Program www.dshs.state.tx.us /cshcn/EmergencyPrep.aspx

Online Emergency Preparedness Resources for People with Disabilities

Extreme Heat: Did you know?Floods are the most common natural disasters, but extreme heat is the number one weather‑related killer in the U.S. Extreme heat is when it is 10 or more degrees higher than the average high temperature for the area you live in. A heat wave is long‑lasting, extreme heat with high humidity (when it is humid, it feels muggy and sticky outside).

When the temperature is too high, your body has to work extra hard to cool off and keep a normal body

temperature. If your body can’t cool off, you may get dizzy, weak, nauseous, and may even faint. Also, look out for visual cues like throwing up, rapid breathing, or flushed, hot skin; this is especially helpful for those who cannot express their symptoms verbally. Extreme heat is most dangerous for children, adults over 65, and people who are sick or overweight. Below is a list of Do’s and Don’ts for protecting yourself during a heat wave.

A Do stay indoors. There are many options to have fun in air conditioning; you can play games at home or visit the movie theater, a museum, or your local library. If you don’t have air conditioning, sit near a fan on the lowest floor.

A Do stay out of the sun. When you need to go outside, try to stay in the shade.

A Do wear loose‑fitted clothes in light colors.

A Do protect your head and face by wearing a hat or using an umbrella.

A Do drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty unless otherwise specified by your doctor.

A Do not drink beverages high in sugar and eat food high in salt, unless you are told so by your doctor.

A Don’t ever sit in a hot car. This is very dangerous, especially if it is parked in direct sunlight. A car’s windows act like a greenhouse trapping sunlight and heat. This can lead to high, life‑threatening temperatures in as little as 10 minutes. n

Test your knowledge! Skip to page 6 to solve a crossword puzzle.

CSHCN Services Program Newsletter for Families 3

Be Sure to Tell Us if You Are Insured

All clients must notify the CSHCN Services Program if they have other health coverage. This can be a private health plan or benefits from another program. If you do have other coverage, you will not be taken off the CSHCN Services Program or lose any benefits. However, the CSHCN Services Program is the payer of last resort. This means that if do you have other health care coverage, that plan must pay for health care services first. Do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-252-8023 or email us at cshcn@dshs.state.tx.us. This helps us have more funds to help more clients. n

Remember!

You must apply to the CSHCN Services Program every twelve months. Send your application to the office nearest you. To find the office or to get answers to your questions, look in the application booklet, call 1-800-252-8023, or go to www.dshs.state.tx.us /cshcn. n

Off to Summer Camp?

Summer camps are not off‑limits to children with special health care needs. More and more summer camps are geared toward children with medical or mental disabilities. A summer camp is a good way for children to stay active and social when school is out.

When choosing the right camp for your child, you consider your child’s interests and abilities (for example, is he or she able and ready to stay in resident camp or will day camp be more suitable?). As much as it is possible, involve your child in the decision making to figure out what experiences will benefit him or her the most.

For a list of summer camps for children with special health care needs in Texas, visit our website at www.dshs.state.tx.us/cshcn/Summer-Camps.aspx.

If you need help researching the right camp for your child, don’t hesitate to contact your case manager. n

REMINDERS

Texas Department of State Health Services4 CSHCN Services Program Newsletter for Families

Got Billed? Act Right Away!If you get a medical bill, don’t ignore it! Call your provider’s office right away. Make sure they know you or your child are on the CSHCN Services Program and that they have your client ID number. If the provider is not enrolled in the Program, you will be responsible for the bill. If the provider is enrolled, follow these steps:

1. Make a copy of the bill. The bill should include the client’s:

• Name and ID number or social security number

• Date of Service

• Date and any amount of any payments you made on the account

• The provider’s name and address

2. Write a letter addressed to Client Correspondence including the date you told the provider you/your child are/is a client of the CSHCN Services Program. If possible, include the name of person you spoke with at the provider’s office. If you do not have a copy of the bill with this information, ask the provider for a copy of the bill, which contains the requested information.

3. Send the copy of the bill and your letter to:

Client Correspondence PO Box 202018

Austin, TX 78720-2018

4. Keep a copy of the information you send in for your records.

You will receive a letter from our claims administrator, the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP), within thirty days of receipt of your letter. n

CF CornerMeal Planning

Away From Home Summer plans can be exciting because it is a way to break from the daily routine. If you are planning on visiting relatives, going camping, or having a weekend gateway, don’t forget about meal planning! Sue Landgraf, a mother of an adult woman with CF, shares a few vacationing tips her family found helpful when traveling while her daughter was growing up.

A Plan ahead. Having a meal plan is always a good idea for people with CF, like having a list of restaurants and cafes based on their menus. But because proper nutrition may not always be available during your visit, plan on bringing on‑the‑go meals and snacks (see next bullet for ideas). While away from home, it may be tempting to forget about eating schedules. Be mindful this may affect your health, so pack your bags.

A Stock up smartly. At some point during your trip, you will need a quick, healthy snack. Pack high‑caloric, on‑the‑go snacks like trail mix, dried fruit, granola bars, pretzels, and cheese and cracker packs. Bring perishable items in an insulated lunch bag or cooler. These can be cheese sticks, hummus, cottage cheese, or yogurt.

A Bring your vitamins. To avoid hiccups during your vacation, include vitamins A, D, E, and K in your diet. Supplements are essential for people with CF, but when travelling, vitamins A and E are essential to help fight infections and boost the body’s ability to protect itself. n

Sue Landgarf is the Executive Director or Cystic Fibrosis Reseach Incorportated (CFRI). Article adapted from www.chef4cf.com/articles/vacationing-with-cystic-fibrosis.

CSHCN Services Program Newsletter for Families 5

If you think you have heat exhaustion, go into an air-conditioned place. If you can’t go indoors, get in the shade and drink plenty of water. Do not drink sugary drinks such as sodas as these can make you feel worse. Take a cool shower or bath or splash cold water to your skin. Rest for 30 minutes, and if you don’t feel better, call your doctor. Untreated heat exhaustion can turn into heatstroke.

DOWN

1. A temperature hotter than the average high (usually 10 degrees or more).

2. When the body temperature reaches 104°F. It can happen when your body gets too hot, during strenuous exercise, or when exposed to very hot temperatures, or if heat exhaustion was not properly treated.

3. How much moisture is in the air (when it feels muggy outdoors).

ACROSS

4. How hot or cold something is.5. How hot it feels outside in the shade. It is not the

same as the outside temperature. It is a measurement of how hot it feels when relative humidity is combined with the effects of the air temperature. When you are standing in full sunshine, this number is even higher. A ________ of 90°F or higher is dangerous.

6. When body temperature gets too high and can make you breathe fast, feel dizzy, throw up, get headaches, or feel weak. It is more serious than heat exhaustion and can cause damage to your organs and brain. In extreme cases, it can kill you.

Seasonal Preparedness: Extreme HeatComplete the crossword using the word bank below.

Down1. A temperature hotter than the average high (usually

10 degrees or more).

2. When the body temperature reaches 104°F. It can

happen when your body gets too hot, during strenuous

exercise, or when exposed to very hot temperatures,

or if heat exhaustion was not properly treated.

3. How much moisture is in the air (when it feels

muggy outdoors).

Across4. How hot or cold something is.

5. How hot it feels outside in the shade. It is not the

same as the outside temperature. It is a measurement

of how hot it feels when relative humidity is combined

with the effects of the air temperature. When you are

standing in full sunshine, this number is even higher. A

___ of 90°F or higher is dangerous.

6. When body temperature gets too high and can make

you breathe fast, feel dizzy, throw up, get headaches,

or feel weak. It is more serious than heat exhaustion

and can cause damage to your organs and brain. In

extreme cases, it can kill you.

Seasonal Preparedness: Extreme HeatComplete the crossword using the word bank below.

Heat Exhaustion Extreme Heat Temperature Heat Index Heatstroke Humidity

1

2 3

4

5

6

Important:

Heat Exhaustion | Extreme Heat | Temperature | Heat Index | Heatstroke | Humidity

WORD BANK

6