CHILDREN'S SPECIAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES (CSHCS)

Children's Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) is a program within the Michigan Department of Community Health for children and some adults with special health care needs and their families.

Children's Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) helps persons with chronic health problems by providing:

• Coverage and referral for specialty services, based on the child's health problems.
• Family-centered services to support you in your primary role as caretaker of your child.
• Community-based services to help you care for your child at home and maintain normal routines.
• Culturally competent services which demonstrate awareness of cultural differences.
• Coordinated services to pull together the services of many different providers who work within different agencies.  

Qualifications for CSHCS

CSHCS covers more than 2,700 diagnoses. Click for a list of these diagnoses.

• Children must have a qualifying medical condition and be 25 years old or under. 
• Persons 26 and older with cystic fibrosis or certain blood coagulation disorders may also qualify for services.  

Some common medical conditions that may qualify for CSHCS are:

• cancer
• cleft palate/cleft lip
• club foot
• deformed limbs/amputations
• certain vision disorders
• blood clotting disorders
• hearing loss
• muscular dystrophy
• epilepsy/hydrocephalus
• kidney disease
• cerebral palsy
• liver disease
• hypospadius
• myelodysplasia/spina bifida
• paralysis/spinal injuries
• cystic fibrosis
• insulin-dependent diabetes
• certain heart conditions
• neurological disorders
• sickle cell anemia  

Your child's medical condition, not your income, determines if you qualify for this program. To inquire about CSHCS call 231-882-4409 or CSHCS Family Phone Line # 800-359-3722.

If your child is currently enrolled and you and your child:

• Need mileage/meals/lodging support for an out of town specialist/hospital visit
• Need to see a new specialist or add a new specialist to your child's list of providers
• Would like to apply for support from the Children with Special Needs Fund.
• Would like to speak with the CSHCS nurse by telephone, in the office, or by a home visit to develop your child's annual plan of care, coordinate services, and receive more information about the CSHCS process

Upcoming Webinars

Planning for the Future: The Essentials of Special Health Care Needs Planning

Date: April 15, 2026

Times: 10a.m. to 11a.m. or 7p.m. to 8p.m. (EST)

Basic estate planning isn’t enough when your child has additional needs. It is important to preserve government benefits, ensure quality of care, and have the right people to step in when you can’t. Join attorney Sarah Kirkpatrick as she presents information on wills, trusts, and guardianship for families of children with special health care needs. Two times are available to accommodate family schedule.

Registration link for 10 a.m. https://redcap.link/Future-AM

Registration link for 7 p.m. https://redcap.link/Future-PM

Here is more information about the family center for children and youth with special health care needs:

• Family Center One-pager

Call your local health department office to speak with:

For general information call 231-882-4409

To speak to a nurse call:

Leelanau County: 231-342-2574  Nicole Cleland, RN

Benzie County: (231) 871-8884   Rudy Strickland, RN