Nearly all states are leveraging and implementing two key sets of national standards to improve systems of care and, ultimately, health outcomes for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). These standards include:
- The National Standards for Systems of Care for CYSHCN (NSSC), which define the core components of a comprehensive, coordinated, and family-centered system of care for CYSHCN.
- The National Care Coordination Standards for CYSHCN (NCCS), which outline system-level components of high-quality care coordination for CYSHCN.
The maps and chart below illustrate the variety of ways that states are leveraging these standards in their Medicaid and state Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant programs. Examples include:
- Supporting and coordinating agencies’ understanding of systems of care for CYSHCN
- Guiding collaboration with families, providers, and other system partners
- Informing needs assessments, strategic planning, managed care contracts, and/or other state efforts
- Identifying areas for quality measurement and improvement
The non-exhaustive examples presented here reflect information that NASHP obtained directly from states or through long-standing work on these standards. NASHP recognizes states may be implementing these standards in ways that are not highlighted here. If you have updates to this information or additional examples of how your state is using these standards, please email Zack Gould.
States’ Use of the National Standards for CYSHCN
Sources
NASHP collected the above data from several sources, including:
- 2024 and 2019 NASHP surveys of state officials representing Medicaid and Title V MCH Block Grant programs
- A NASHP implementation guide for the National Care Coordination Standards
- A NASHP fact sheet on states’ use of the National Standards for Systems of Care
- Direct input from state officials during NASHP work group and/or affinity group calls
Acknowledgements
This work was authored by NASHP Policy Associate Zack Gould, NASHP Senior Policy Associate Robin Buskey, and NASHP Director Heather Smith. Thank you to NASHP Senior Director Karen VanLandeghem for contributing to this chart and map through input, guidance, and draft review. NASHP also extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to the individuals at the state and national levels who supported this work and shared and/or reviewed the information.
Support for this work was provided by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. The views presented here are those of the authors and do not reflect those of the Foundation or its staff. The Foundation’s Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs invests in creating a more efficient and equitable system that ensures high-quality, coordinated, family-centered care to improve health outcomes for children and enhance quality of life for families. Learn more at https://lpfch.org/CYSHCN.
