Medically Fragile Child Care Groundbreaking

GROUND BROKEN FOR FACILITY FOR MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILDREN

     COLUMBUS -- Ohio Gov. George V. Voinovich and Ohio State
University President E. Gordon Gee joined other officials today
(9/29) in a groundbreaking ceremony for an addition to the
university's Child Care Center.  The addition will make it
possible for medically fragile children to be enrolled in the
center.

     Medically fragile children are defined as those who rely on
prolonged use of medical devices to compensate for loss of vital
bodily functions and who require substantial daily skilled
nursing care to avert death or further disability.  For example,
they may be dependent on tube feeding by pump for all their
nutrition or they may be able to breathe only with the assistance
of a mechanical ventilator.

     The $500,000, 4,500-square foot addition to the center on
Ackerman Road will allow 15 medically fragile children to be
enrolled at the center and will also enable the center to enroll
18 mentally retarded/developmentally delayed (MRDD) children and
increase the capacity of typically developing children to 316
from the present 300.

     The new construction includes 2,000 square feet dedicated to
15 medically fragile children, 1,000 square feet for 12
additional toddlers, 1,000 square feet of common space to be used
by all children for large muscle activities, and 500 square feet
for offices, storage and adult restrooms.

     The Ohio Department of Health has provided a $375,000 grant
to develop and implement programming for the medically fragile
children at the center.  The grant also covers the cost of
equipment and nursing services, and will fund an Ohio State
research project to measure the financial and other costs to a
family with a medically fragile child.

     The project is one of two pilot programs funded through
Voinovich's Family and Children First Initiative.  One, at the
Medical College of Ohio at Toledo, provides services for
medically fragile children in a separate portion of a child care
center.  The Ohio State project is the first in the nation to
integrate medically fragile children into an existing child care
facility.

     "The Family and Children First Initiative strives to make
government do a better job of listening to parents," Voinovich
said.  "Today's groundbreaking demonstrates that we can give
these children with special needs a chance to play and learn with
others, give their parents a much needed break from providing
around-the-clock care, and avoid costly nursing home bills.
Today we celebrate a positive partnership of government and
parents, with these special children being the real winners.  As
the Family and Children First Initiative progresses, you'll be
seeing a lot more of these kinds of positive solutions."

     Care for medically fragile children is typically only
available through the medical system.  Initially, these children
are cared for in hospitals, then discharged to their homes, where
they may require one-on-one nursing care up to 24 hours a day.
When insurance coverage runs out, they often are permanently
placed in Medicaid-funded nursing homes.

     Judy Fountain, director of Ohio State's Work and Family
Office, says placing the children in a center with typically
developing children places more emphasis on the families' and
children's total development rather than just their physical
health.

     "To date, all care for medically fragile children has been
based primarily on a medical model rather than a child
development model," Fountain said.  "Ohio State University, in
collaboration with state and public agencies and private
businesses, can bring together resources to meet the children's
developmental and medical needs within a single site."

     Although construction of the addition will not be complete
until September 1995, the child care center has begun to phase-in
enrollment of medically fragile children.  The university is
completing negotiations with Children's Homecare Services of
Children's Hospital to operate "Children's Express at OSU," which
will provide nursing and developmental services for medically
fragile children.

     "Partnerships such as these are truly an investment in the
well-being of our citizens and the future of our community," said
Gee.  "Our center has long been known for its excellent services
and the important educational opportunities it provides.  This
facility will allow us to build on that fine tradition while
offering state-of-the-art care for these special children and
their families."

     Linda Tom, vice president for human resources at Ohio State,
estimates the university will save over $200,000 a year by
providing this alternative form of care rather than one-on-one
home health care for the medically fragile children of employees
covered by the university's health care plans.  "This integrated
approach will reduce costs while assisting our employees and
students who struggle to meet the complex demands of caring for
children with severe needs," she said.  "We believe it's truly a
win-win opportunity to provide better services for medically
fragile children and to manage our health care funds more
effectively."

     A 1992 study by the Metropolitan Human Services Commission
estimated that there were approximately 120 medically fragile
children under the age of 18 in Franklin County.  Of that number,
more than half were younger than 5, reflecting advances in
medicine and increases in birth defects related to drug abuse.

                                #

Contact: Judy Fountain, 292-0393.


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Thu, 29 Sep 1994 10:01:36 -0500 (EST)]
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