Every Child Deserves a Medical Home

A medical home is a way of providing health care where parents and physicians partner to promote a child’s health and development. Overall, children receiving care within a medical home have improved health outcomes and families are more satisfied with their child’s care. In a medical home, care is coordinated based on the family’s priorities. The care is also accessible, continuous, comprehensive, compassionate and culturally effective.

The Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative promotes medical home concepts among primary care clinicians, public health departments, early childhood professionals and families throughout Wisconsin. We provide training, technical assistance and resources to support medical home implementation for all children, especially for those who have special health care needs.

The Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Title V Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program and the Maternal Child Health Program located in the Division of Public Health.

The Benefits of a Medical Home

A medical home is a trusting partnership between you, your child and your pediatric primary health care team. When your child has a medical home, the health care team:

  • Knows your child’s health history
  • Listens to concerns and needs
  • Treats your child with compassion
  • Has an understanding of their strengths
  • Develops a care plan with you and your child when needed
  • Respects and honors your culture and traditions

Your health care team can help you and your child access and coordinate specialty care, educational services, in- and out-of-home care, family support and other community services that are important to the overall well-being of you and your child.

Every child deserves a medical home. Contact us to learn how we can support you, as a professional or a parent, to ensure more Wisconsin children are served within medical homes.

Our Partners

The Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative partners with state and national organizations to strengthen medical homes and help families get answers, find services and connect with community resources.

Children’s Resource Centers

Wisconsin has five Children’s Resource Centers that are staffed by information and referral guides who are dedicated to supporting families who have children and youth with special health needs (CYSHCN) and the providers who serve them. These services are free and confidential.

CYSHCN Network Partners

The CYSHCN Program has a statewide network that offers support to families and professionals working to ensure children and youth receive high-quality and integrated care.

National Resource Center for Patient/
Family-Centered Medical Home

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ National Resource Center provides tools and resources for families, caregivers and providers in medical homes.

What is a Medical Home?

Physicians, parents and regional center staff define medical home and discuss why medical home partnerships are vital in caring for children and youth with special health care needs.

Medical Home Resources

The Wisconsin State Plan to Serve More Children
and Youth within Medical Homes

The State Plan was developed collaboratively by Wisconsin health care leaders, the Department of Health Services and family advocacy organizations. It outlines objectives, steps to ensure more Wisconsin children receive care within medical homes and measures to track progress.

Medical Home Brochure

This brochure helps explain the concept of a medical home. It outlines the responsibilities of families and their health care teams, and it provides tips for families to use before, during and after an appointment.

Medical Home Trainings by County

This map  shows Wisconsin Medical Home developmental and mental health screening trainings provided by county from 2006 to 2021.

Since 2006, the Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative has conducted 273 developmental screening training. Since 2011, the Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative has conducted 50 mental health screening trainings.

Contact Our Staff

Geeta Wadhwani, MPH, RN, BSN
Program Leader
Medical Home
(414) 337-2231
gwadhwani@childrenswi.org

Morgan Conti
Program Manager
Medical Home
(414) 337-4566
mconti@chw.org

Colleen Lane
Program Manager
Medical Home
(608) 442-4177
clane@chw.org

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Medical Home Minute

Monthly news, events and resources from the Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative.

The Wisconsin Medical Home Initiative is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ Title V Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program and the Maternal Child Health Program located in the Division of Public Health.

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