Definition: Estimated percentage of children ages 0-17 with special health care needs (CSHCN) who experienced and did not experience problems getting needed referrals to specialist care or services in the previous year, by complexity of health care needs (e.g., in 2009-2010, 40% of California CSHCN with more complex needs had difficulty getting referrals to specialty care in the previous year).
Data Source: Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (Dec. 2012).
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. CSHCN with 'less complex needs' experience health conditions that are managed primarily through prescription medication; children with 'more complex needs' require additional care, services, or therapies in order to manage their conditions. 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/archive-prior-year-data-documents-and-resources.
