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Special Projects

ASK participates in many special projects that further the interests of families of children with special needs. These projects are funded through various sources and donations to the organization are also always welcome.

Indiana Parent Education Project

Through this project, About Special Kids staff provide families of children with special needs information and referral to community agencies, training and education and peer support. ASK staff also provide information to professionals who work with children with special needs and their families. A unique aspect of this project is the follow-up support that is given to families after they contact About Special Kids. Families are followed for a period of one year after their initial contact with About Special Kids through a series of HAT calls (How Are Things?). Information for families and professionals covers many topics such as special education, health care financing, respite, child care and the medical home and is distributed through personal contact with an About Special Kids Parent Liaison, the website, newsletter, trainings, information fairs and the About Special Kids resource directory.

Funding Source: Indiana State Department of Health, Maternal and Children's Special Healthcare Services.
Grant Year: Oct. 1-Sept. 30

Community Pediatrics Training Initiative

In collaboration with the Indiana University School of Medicine, ASK is one of three community based organizations (CBO's) that provides community learning experiences for pediatric residents in the Indiana University medical education program at Clarian Health Partners. The focus populations of the project are children with special health care needs who are defined as children with disabilities and serious chronic illness, Hispanic children whose parents speak English as a second language, and children who are victims of domestic violence. This project is changing the way pediatric residents are trained to work with community organizations in meeting the needs of children with special needs and their families through site visits, interactions with families and children, and special projects.

Funding Source: Indiana University, (grant from Anne. E. Dyson Foundation)
Contract Year: July 1 - June 30

Indiana's Family to Family Health Care Information and Education Center

Indiana's Family to Family Health Care Information and Education Center (F2F HIC) is improving access to accurate, timely information on health care financing options, by providing education and training for both families and professionals. This project was initially funded by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from 2003-2007 and is now funded by a federal Maternal & Child Health Bureau (MCHB) grant. This funding has allowed ASK to continue its advisory committee consisting of organizations and individuals from across the state interested in healthcare financing issues and family support. ASK will continue to work with families and professionals both one on one and by conducting healthcare financing trainings across the state. An ultimate goal of this project is to create systems change in Indiana related to the delivery of services for children with special needs and to create systems that will foster independence of these individuals.

Funding Source: Maternal Child Health Bureau
Grant Year: June 1, 2007 - May 31, 2010

MCO Project

In 2002, About Special Kids began to build partnerships with Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCO's) in order to provide premium service to families of children with special needs that these MCO's serve. ASK currently provides intensive services to families of children with special needs in conjunction with medical case management received from the MCO's. The range of services About Special Kids provides includes information and referral to community resources, one on one training and support regarding health care financing options and education options and intensive peer support. ASK also educates the MCO's about community resources and disability issues. ASK currently has contractual arrangements with MDWise and hopes to expand this project to include more MCO's and private health insurance companies.

Funding Sources: MDWise
Contracts: Ongoing

Family to Family/First Steps

In 2008 ASK began a contract with Indiana University through the Unified Training System to provide staff throughout the state to assist families who have children birth to age three who have or are at risk of having special needs. Primary responsibilities for these staff members are to provide information, resources and support to families and to connect with First Steps providers and other professionals throughout the state. Volunteers called Parent Mentors are also involved in this project and serve families who are in need of more emotional support and empowerment.

Funding Source: Indiana University Early Childhood Center, IN Institute on Disability and Community
Contract: Oct. 1 - Sept. 30