KING COUNTY, WA - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County joins with the country in celebrating National Child Health Day to raise awareness about the importance of community-based service systems for children with special health care needs.

"Parents, educators, health care providers, therapists-basically anyone who spends time with children with special health care needs-need to know what they can do now to improve children's lives, so that those children can look forward to a healthier and brighter future," said King County Executive Ron Sims.

"Children with special health care needs require consumer-driven, family-centered, and strength-based models of care," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Through our Public Health Nurse (PHN) and Special Needs Coordinator (SNC) services, Public Health helps to assist children and families with health problems or other concerns."

• Public Health Nurses work with families who have children birth to 18 years of age.
• Special Needs Coordinators work with families who have children birth to six years of age with special needs.

Both provide assessment, screening, evaluation, referral and care coordination services to assure appropriate community supports and early intervention services are in place. Their goal is to provide family-centered, culturally competent, community based, comprehensive and coordinated services to any family in King County.

Public Health provides these services in the home, office, school, or wherever needed based on the needs of the family. Furthermore, these services are available to all King County residents, regardless of income.

"Both the PHNs and SNCs work closely with community providers and support the family to ensure the family is actually connected to services they need. They work as a team or independently, based on the needs of the family," said Plough.

National Child Health Day is an annual observance that dates back to 1928. Celebrated on the first Monday in October, it is intended to focus the attention of the Nation on issues related to children's development and well-being.

In previous years, Child Health Day has focused on substance abuse, immunizations, and early childhood. For more information on National Child Health Day call the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau at 301-443-0205.

For referrals or questions from the public, contact Public Health's Children with Special Health Care Needs Program at (206) 296-4610. General questions may also be submitted by email at cshcn@kingcounty.gov.