Care Coordinators as Family Advocates
Advocacy
A care coordinator may act as an advocate for the needs of the child
and family. While being an advocate sounds like you need an advanced degree, in
the health care realm it has various connotations and is often part of the work
you are already doing.
What is an Advocate? An advocate is defined as "one who pleads the
cause of another." Advocacy can be for an individual or on behalf of a group of
individuals.
Who is an Advocate? Any individual or group can be an advocate.
Examples of advocates include parents, physicians, nurses, clergy, social worker
and anyone that meets the definition. In the Medical Home Model, all team
members act as the child’s and family’s advocate.
Examples:
-
Advocacy for an Individual
- Completing a Letter of Medical Necessity for a
child to obtain an insurance authorization for needed equipment
or procedure, see Medical Necessity, part 1 (
71 KB) and Medical Necessity, Part 2 ( 173 KB)
- Participating in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings at a child's school
- Parent Advocates within the Medical Home reaching out to touch base with a parent of a child with special health care needs
- Completing a Letter of Medical Necessity for a
child to obtain an insurance authorization for needed equipment
or procedure, see Medical Necessity, part 1 (
-
Advocacy for a Group
- Providing community presentations at schools, community centers, or committee meetings
- Participating in creating or supporting legislation that improves services or benefits for CYSHCN, see State Government Links
- Sharing information about programs that encourage the health and safety of children, such as Healthy Child Care America and Prevent Child Abuse America