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Health Care

Health Care

The mission of Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is to protect, maintain and improve the health of all Minnesotans. The vision is for health equity in Minnesota, where all communities are thriving and all people have what they need to be healthy. DHS also offers programs that provide care for the well-being of eligible families and children.

Preventive care and health management helps keep people healthy. Learn about available healthcare programs through MDH and other state agencies that connect people to medical services and supports and manage health conditions. A health care resource list is also available alphabetically to help you find what you are looking for.

There are resources on co-occurring conditions.

Early Years (Birth to 5)

Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC) helps with well-child health care and preventive screenings to support the mission and goals of healthier Minnesotans. Child and teen checkups are provided for free every year to children ages birth up to age 21 who are enrolled in Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare. A Child and Teen Checkup visit will provide your child and family with information about physical and mental health, immunizations, hearing and visions checks, lab tests and more. Be sure to take any forms you need with you to the appointment. Your primary care doctor may also provide ASD screening, diagnosis or referrals.

The Follow Along Program provides developmental and social emotional (behavior) screenings that can help you track your child’s development and let you know if your child is playing, talking, growing, moving and behaving like other children the same age. You can enroll on-line now or contact your local public health department to sign your child / family up for the Follow Along Program.

The Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) is a Minnesota Health Care Program for children, youth and young adults up to age 21 with autism or related conditions. The benefit provides behavioral and developmental intervention services to manage challenging behaviors and teach functional social and communication skills. Services promote a person’s independence and participation in home, school and community life. Contact a Comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation (CMDE) provider to determine eligibility and medical necessity for EIDBI services. Search the Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) Provider Directory by selecting “Autism-EIDBI” and then “CMDE” as the sub-type.

School age / adolescent (5 - 18)

Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC) helps with well-child health care and preventive screenings to support the mission and goals of healthier Minnesotans. Child and teen checkups are provided for free every year to children ages birth up to age 21 who are enrolled in Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare. A Child and Teen Checkup visit will provide your child and family with information about physical and mental health, immunizations, hearing and visions checks, lab tests and more. Be sure to take any forms you need with you to the appointment. Your primary care doctor may also provide ASD screening, diagnosis or referrals.

It is important part of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process to evaluate whether or not the child has a health condition that is or could interfere with their daily life and ability to learn. If concerns are identified, you can contact the school nurse, psychologist or the child’s primary care doctor. Important factors to evaluate are:

  • Current health status and health history
  • Known chronic or urgent health conditions
  • Medications or treatments prescribed at school or home
  • Vision and hearing screening results
  • Any significant illnesses, hospitalizations
  • Sport physicals and other reports
  • Attendance

It is also important for youth and young adults to gain knowledge and skills to sustain and advocate for the health and wellness. They need to know how to:

  • Manage their own health can health care to the best of their abilities
  • Learn how to talk with their health care providers and ask questions
  • Find a new adult doctor (typically between ages 18-21)
  • Make and cancel medical appointments
  • Fill and re-fill medications
  • Know what to do in an emergency
  • Carry and use health insurance
  • Disclose disability and request accommodations.

Resources on transition to adulthood for families and charting the Lifecourse tools on the Disability Hub MN can also help support you in this transition.

MDH has information and resources for transitioning to adult health care. Family Voices of MN has a healthcare transition tool kit to optimize health and assist youth in reaching their full potential.

Got Transition® aims to improve transition from pediatric to adult health care through the use of new and innovative strategies. GOT Transition has resources for youth and their family members as well as clinicians:

Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) and Got Transition have created a variety of healthcare related transition resources.

  • Learning and trying out life skills is an important step for students as they plan for moving into adulthood. The Health Care Transition Checklist (PDF) can help youth and young adults (ages 14-25), their families, and team members, build health care transition skills.
  • The Life Skills Checklist (PDF) can help transition age students (14-22), their families, and team members track independent living/life skills.
Adults (18+)

MDH offers programs for individual and family health. DHS also offers healthcare programs for adults.

Seniors

Minnesota's seniors are great assets to their communities and our state. The Minnesota Department of Human Services strives to help seniors live as independently as possible so they can continue to contribute and be a part of the communities in which they live. Learn more about economic assistance, healthcare, services and more.

Specialty Care

Dental care

If your child is enrolled in a health plan for their Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare or TEFRA option coverage, you can call your health plan’s dental customer service line. 

Adult dental coverage frequently asked questions under Minnesota Health Care Programs is a helpful guide. 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) operates five community dental clinics in key regions of the state for patients with special needs whose conditions make it difficult for them to obtain dental care from other providers. Patients with intellectual disabilities, severe and persistent mental illnesses and traumatic brain injuries are eligible to receive treatment at DHS-operated community dental clinics. 

Finding Dentist and Doctors can be a challenge when a loved one has ASD. The Autism of Society of Minnesota has a list of dental places who have experience with clients on the spectrum. You would still need to check with your dental insurance to see what providers are in your network for coverage.

Family Services Community Connections Dental Guide (PDF) provides parents and caregivers of children with autism with tips, tools and strategies for dental care and visits. 

Children with autism are likely to suffer many more oral health problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, and dental injury than children without autism. On top of that, sensory sensitivities also make effective oral hygiene routines and visits to the dentist challenging. ByteME created a Guide to Dental Care for Children with Autism.

Encourage Good Dental Care Practices at Home

  • Move away from sugary food and drinks
  • Establish an oral hygiene routine
  • Try using visual supports
  • Be a model of good dental hygiene or use video modeling
  • Try using timers
  • Offer praise and rewards for healthy habits
  • Find the right toothbrush that works for you
  • Visit the dentist regularly

Hearing

The Children & Youth with Special Health Needs (CYSHN) is part of the Minnesota Department of Health. The What You Need to Know Resources (PDF) for families has information to help families finding information for loss of hearing.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy focuses on improving daily activities, such as eating, drinking, dressing, bathing, reading, and writing. The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. fact sheet (PDF) has information on an OT’s role with Autism. They help support productive and meaningful participation in community activities that enhance quality of life for individuals with autism and other activities. 

Find information on How to access services or find a provider.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy uses exercises to help you learn or relearn movement and coordination skills A physical therapist can help increase overall function and participation in daily activities. The Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy fact sheet (PDF) has practice recommendations for school based physical therapy evaluation of children with ASD.

Find information on How to access services or find a provider.

Speech-language pathology

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) assess for and treat a wide variety of differences and disorders:

  • Speech (articulation, fluency, and voice)
  • Language (expressive, receptive and social)
  • Feeding and swallowing

Many SLPs provide social skills groups across all ages. They also help non-speaking clients to identify and use alternative methods of communication. Parents and caregivers are key providers of speech therapy for children with autism, and they can collaborate with speech language pathologists (SLPs) to embed communication lessons for their children as they grow. 2U Inc. has Tips for Speech Therapy at Home for Children with Autism.

Find information on How to access services or find a provider.

Feeding therapy

Children's Minnesota and Fraser have helpful information for families and individuals about medical issues and feeding therapy.

Healthcare Coordination and other supports

A Health Care Home (HCH) is primary care clinic or clinician certified by the Minnesota Department of Health to coordinate care among the primary care team, specialists and community partners to ensure patient-centered whole person care and improve total health and well-being. You can find certified health care homes on the clickable map.

Behavioral Health Home (BHH) services expand upon the concept of person-centered medical homes to serve the whole person across primary care, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, long-term services and supports and social service components of our health care delivery system. BHH services include the following:

  • Comprehensive care management
  • Care coordination
  • Health promotion and wellness
  • Comprehensive transitional care
  • Patient and family support
  • Referral to community and social support services

For advocacy, legal and cultural supports, see Supports.

Medical Cannabis

For a patient to receive medical cannabis, the law requires that a licensed health care practitioner certify that the patient has one or more of the qualifying conditions. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is considered a qualifying condition. For more information, including the registration process, see medical cannabis information for patients.

Vaccinations and Immunizations

Vaccinations and immunizations are a safe, effective way to protect children from illness, hospitalization, disability, and death. It is especially important during a pandemic or other public health emergency to maintain routine immunizations to prevent further outbreaks.

Some people have had concerns that ASD might be linked to the vaccines children receive, but studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD. Visit CDC: Autism and Vaccines for more information.

Vaccinations use a small piece of the virus or bacteria to help your body trigger an immune system response. This allows people to develop natural immunity, while significantly reducing the risk of illness and complications compared to acquiring immunity through an actual infection.

The most common side effects of vaccinations are insignificant in almost all cases, and generally include injection site soreness, lump or bump at the site, fatigue, fussiness, headache, decreased appetite or low-grade fevers. Mayo Clinic has additional information on vaccines.

MN Department of Health: COVID-19 Vaccines has information about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has developed several fact sheets on vaccinations.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends on-time routine immunization of all children and adolescents according to the Recommended Immunization Schedules for Children and Adolescents. The AAP has parent testimonials on why they chose to vaccinate their children, as well as other safety and prevention tips.

If you have additional questions or concerns:

  • Bring a list of questions to your doctor’s appointment
  • Get information about vaccines and childhood speech and behavior from trusted resources, such as your doctor, schools, and these websites:
Medical Appointment

Medical appointments can be overwhelming for a person with autism for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Sensory overload (e.g., lights, sounds, smells)
  • Out of the familiar routine
  • Unpredictable (e.g., wait times, noises, new people)
  • Quick transitions
  • Invasive procedures
  • Communication Barriers
  • May be ill or in pain.

Missed medical appointments and lack of access routine healthcare, leads people with autism to have high rates of unmet care. To better meet the needs of the autism community, hospitals and clinics can incorporate the following strategies into their practice.

  • Improve communication:
    • Prepare staff for the visit—ASD training
    • Prepare the person for the visit
      • Social stories
      • Picture schedules
      • Self-advocacy skills
    • Ask what is the best way to communicate with the person
      • Keep instructions short
      • Use visuals to communicate whenever possible
      • Allow for processing time
  • Provide person and family-centered care
    • Evaluate environment from the perspective of the child and family
    • Be culturally responsive
    • Consult the person and family in all aspects of care—shared decision making
    • Take time to listen and answer questions
    • Incorporate person’s special interests
    • Offer a peer or family navigator
  • Sensory sensitivity
    • Offer accommodations (e.g., wait in a quiet area)
    • Dim lights, minimize noises
    • Limit number of different staff
    • Allow child to utilize coping skills
    • Have the therapist come with to the appointment
  • De-escalation techniques
    • Watch for warning signs that the person is becoming distressed (e.g., repeated vocalizations, rocking, pacing, self-injurious behavior)
    • Act calm and speak softly
    • Eliminate demands
    • Identify if basic needs are not being met (e.g., toileting, water, food)
    • Provide space to calm
    • Find additional Strategies and supports

Source: Minnesota Autism Resource Portal

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