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Healthcare

Youth with disabilities are encouraged to take an active role in their healthcare, as early as possible. It is important to understand how to navigate Medicaid or other insurance options, how to find doctors and specialists that meet your needs, and how to access assessments/evaluations when needed.

Find Healthcare Resources

Acronym Key: MCO = Managed Care Organization

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Add Healthcare Items to My Action Plan

Build your Action Plan by selecting relevant items below to add goals for yourself or someone you support. Click “Add to Action Plan” to save items. Your selections from all categories will appear in “My Action Plan.” To remove an item, click “Remove from Action Plan.”

Build your Action Plan by selecting relevant items below to add goals for yourself or someone you support. Click “Add to Action Plan” to save items. To remove an item, click “Remove from Action Plan.” To see your Action Plan, click on the “View My Action Plan” button to the right or near the bottom of the page.

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Browse all recommended action items below or use these filters to narrow down results by category or age.

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Age range of the person needing help?

21 results found

Physical Health
Consider applying for Medicaid. See the adult services action plan for more information on how to navigate Medicaid’s IDD services.

Approximate age: As early as possible

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Explore Work Together NC’s library of healthcare services.

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Consider acquiring a medical information ID card for emergencies.

Approximate age: As early as possible

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian, Doctor

Physical Health
Ask doctor if and at what age they no longer care for young adults.

Approximate age: 13-Dec

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Identify adult health care providers and become informed about sexuality and family planning options.

Approximate age: 13

Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, and MCO

Physical Health
Learn what your teen knows about their health, health care, and family medical history. The individual and parent/caregiver can take Got Transition’s Transition Readiness Assessments* and discuss this together and with a doctor.

Approximate age: 14-15

Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, Doctor

Physical Health
Learn what your teen knows about potential healthcare accommodations for them, assist them in creating a personalized accommodations report.

Approximate age: 14-15

Who can help: Individual, Family/Guardian, Doctor

Physical Health
Provide the individual with their own health insurance card.

Approximate age: 14-15

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Prepare the individual for what to do in case of a health emergency.

Approximate age: 14-15

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Practice making a doctor’s appointment and ordering prescription refills (either by phone, online, or through an app).

Approximate age: 14-15 and ongoing

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Work with your teen and the doctor to make and share a medical summary.

Approximate age: 16-17

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian, Doctor

Physical Health
Before your teen turns 18 and becomes a legal adult, figure out if they will need help making health care decisions. See the “Supported Decision Making & Guardianship” section for more information. *Unless other arrangements have been made (ie., healthcare power of attorney), at age 18, the individual is a legal adult and legally responsible for their care. You cannot access their medical information or be in the doctor’s visit unless your young adult agrees or certain legal forms have been completed.

Approximate age: 16-17

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian, Doctor

Physical Health
Talk with your teen about the age they want to transfer to a new doctor for adult care.

Approximate age: 16-17

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
Review health insurance coverage: inform insurance company of child’s disability and investigate rider of continued eligibility.

Approximate age: 17

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian

Physical Health
If appropriate, assume additional responsibility for health care needs (making appointments, etc).

Approximate age: 18

Who can help: Individual

Physical Health
Request/advocate for an updated educational psych eval from the school, which may be useful when entering adult services or postsecondary programs.

Approximate age: Within last 2 years of leaving high school

Who can help: Individual and Family/Guardian, School/IEP Team

Mental/Behavioral Health
Explore Work Together NC’s library of mental health services.

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual and family

Mental/Behavioral Health
Explore options for peer support and other community-based resources.

Approximate age: As early as possible & ongoing

Who can help: Individual, school, adult service providers

Mental/Behavioral Health
If appropriate, assume additional responsibility for mental health care needs (making appointments, etc).

Approximate age: 16

Who can help: Individual with help of others

Mental/Behavioral Health
Complete a needs assessment with your managed care organization.

Approximate age: 17

Who can help: Individual, family, and MCO

Mental/Behavioral Health
Review insurance coverage for mental health services: inform insurance company of child’s disability and investigate rider of continued eligibility.

Approximate age: 17

Who can help: Individual and family

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Disclaimer: These action plans are for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be comprehensive, and should not be taken as legal advice. Services and programs mentioned may vary by county. Please consult with professionals with expertise in this topic area for guidance specific to you, your family or student/client’s situation. The “approximate age” listed with each item is a general recommendation for when to get started on an action item; however, everyone has a different timeline and for many of the items, it’s never too late to take action! Have a suggested correction or addition to this checklist? Email worktogethernc@med.unc.edu.

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