Definition: Estimated percentage of children ages 0-17 who in the previous 12 months needed medical, dental, vision, hearing, mental health, or other care but did not receive it, by special health care needs status (e.g., in 2024, among California children with special health care needs (CSHCN) who needed health care in the previous year, 9.2% had unmet health care needs).
Data Source: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Survey of Children's Health (Nov. 2025).
Footnote: Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally. These estimates are based on a survey of the population and are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. For more information, see https://www.childhealthdata.org/learn-about-the-nsch/NSCH.
