Introduction to Care Coordination

Care coordination involves assessing your child’s needs, and developing and implementing a plan to meet those needs.

Care coordination can involve setting up a schedule for the child’s medications, treatments, and health care provider visits or assistance in finding local services or providers.  Often parents coordinate their child’s daily care needs. You and your child’s health care provider can work together to create a plan for your child’s care. The plan may include referrals to:

• Other health care professionals (example: referral to a physical therapist for early intervention)
• Community-based agencies and organizations for support or additional services (for example, referral to a local parent organization or public health Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition program)
• Coordination professionals (often called care coordinators or case managers) who can assist you in finding care and services or help you coordinate care among various providers

An example of care coordination available in all states is early intervention under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Each state has service teams who help families whose infant or toddler has a developmental delay. An Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) outlining the child’s early intervention services is developed.  A coordinator helps the family access and coordinate services defined in the IFSP.

If you live in Washington State, the Guide to Washington State Care Coordinator Roles describes these roles more specifically.