The Children with Special Needs Fund’s mission is to “help families with children with special needs obtain equipment and services not covered by insurance or other programs.” The goal is to help families purchase equipment that enhances their child’s quality of life. My daughter received funding through CSN for a Rifton bike, an adaptive swing, and a beach wheelchair (partial funding).
Background
It is always difficult to remember or even figure out how all the Michigan agencies are connected. Let’s start with some history. CSN Fund was created in 1944 with a donation from Dr. and Mrs. James Pardee to support children with special needs. It continues to be funded by private donations. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) administers it. It works with Children’s Special Health Care Services and does not use any tax dollars for funding. So, it is private money but administered by the state.
Eligibility
To apply for assistance from the CSN Fund, the applicant must be 21 years or younger, a U.S. citizen or legally admitted, a resident of MI, and eligible for CSHCS. The applicant does not need to be enrolled in CSHCS, just eligible. Children who are part of the Children’s Waiver, HAB Waiver, Adoption Medical Subsidy, or Community Mental Health must apply to these sources BEFORE applying for CSN support. There are no income criteria to apply for CSN funding.
The Application
The application requires general information about the applicant and their parent/guardian. If the applicant is not enrolled in CSHCS, they will have to fill out a Financial Assessment Form. This form asks for the parent’s total number of dependents and the adjusted gross income from their last federal filing. If the family lives in a rental property, a Landlord Agreement form might need to be completed.
CSN Fund requires applicants to contact at least two charitable organizations for assistance and they require you to provide information about who you contacted and their contact information. If one of those organizations agrees to help with part of the cost, the CSN Fund will still help with the remaining amount upon approval of the application.
Other Documentation
CSN Fund requires a letter of medical necessity from one of the applicant’s specialists. This cannot be their pediatrician; it must be a specialist. The letter should explain the need for the equipment. If you are requesting a tricycle or adaptive recreational equipment, you also need to submit an assessment from an OT or PT. They require you to submit quotes from two different vendors.
The family needs to submit a letter, as well. It can be a simple one-page letter explaining why your child needs the equipment, how they will use it, and how it will make their life better. For example, when we asked for assistance paying for a beach wheelchair for our daughter, we explained that our family loves to go to the beach and the chair would help our daughter fully experience our family time. If your family or friends will pay any portion of the item, state that in the letter. For the beach wheelchair, we offered to pay for part of it with money our daughter received for her high school graduation.
Covered Items
The top four requests to the CSN Fund are van/lift devices (23.7%), camps (21.1%), ramps (16.7%), and bikes (16.5%). The approval process has limits on what will be approved. For example, a family can request up to three adaptive toys and switches per year. CSN will pay up to $3,000 for other adaptive recreational equipment.
Vehicle accessible devices (lifts, tie downs, Turny seats) are covered. They will pay for up to $10,000 of the cost. Families must wait five years before they can request this again.
They cover weighted blankets up to $200. They will fund up to $5000 for an ADA compliant ramp and a stair or ceiling lift. A family can ask for electrical upgrades for the safe operation of medical equipment up to $1000. And they can approve tricycles every 2-5 years for up to $2300. If you use Rifton for the tricycle, you will not need to provide a quote. Rifton makes it very easy.
What Happens Next
Please make sure you have all of your documentation ready to submit at one time. Also, be sure you are asking for a covered item. CSN Fund tries to get back to applicants in 4-6 weeks. Depending on how busy they are, it could be as quick as two weeks.
If you receive approval, they will provide you with information on how to proceed. The vendor will bill CSN Fund directly. Be sure you have your approval information when you contact your vendor. Our experience has been that CSN Fund has usually contacted the vendor as well.
Other Outcomes
You could receive a decision of “pending”. This happens a lot. It shows a need for more information. You will be told exactly what is missing. Maybe you left out a quote, did not submit part of the application or they have questions. They give you 90 days to respond. If you do not fix what is missing, they will close the file after 90 days. Their decision is final. There is no appeal because it is private, not public funding.
You could also receive a denial. The most common reasons for denial include the applicant not being medically eligible, requesting something that is not covered, or being enrolled in a waiver program where the request should be covered by the waiver. Items not covered are baby monitors, home improvements, vehicle repairs, generators, air purifiers, and permanent items for rental property.
My Advice
Read the application carefully. It answers a lot of the questions you will have. Be sure to have all the documentation ready to submit at one time. I always asked the doctor to send the letter of medical necessity to me to submit rather than send it directly to CSN. If you need help to fill out the application, call 1-800-359-3722. They can help identify vendors and local agencies for you to contact, too. You can download the application at www.michigan.gov/csnfund.