Registered Nurses at ECHD are an important part of Ohio's Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps program in our area.

BCMH is a program that links families of children with special health care needs to a network of quality providers to ensure that every child with a special health care need will have a medical home.

Our BCMH nurses help families through all phases of the program by:

1.      Helping to identify children with special health care needs

2.      Making sure that children with special needs are referred to appropriate doctors and other services and supports

3.      Helping families find and use the services they need for their child

4.      Providing health care information to families

5.      Helping families know their rights and responsibilities in regard to BCMH and other programs

6.      Helping the family learn about their child's growth and development

7.      Helping the family understand their child's plan of treatment

8.      Helping families locate BCMH service providers for their child

9.      Helping families fill out necessary forms and to explain the program

For more information on BCMH, its eligibility requirements, and provisions, please contact ECHD at 284-1541 or 284-1570 or the Ohio Department of Health at 1-800-755-4769.   

ECHD is pleased to collaborate with the Tools for Today and Tomorrow Program. This is an award-winning program of the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland (RMH) that strives to give families and caregivers of children with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities opportunities to learn from experts and each other about nonmedical family, financial, educational, advocacy, transition, and legal issues, gain new insights, learn new strategies, and make important connections with others.

This is accomplished through Tools workshops and online at www.toolsfortoday.org. The website provides links to basic information, community-specific resources, and a Calendar of Events where organizations can post their educational/informational events for free and have them available 24/7.