Children's Special Health Care Services (CSHCS)

Children's Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) is a program within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). It is for children and some adults through the age of 21 with special health care needs as well as their families.

CSHCS is a part of Title V of the Federal Social Security Act.

CSHCS Logo
Children's Special Health Care Services
CSHCS strives to enable individuals with special health care needs to have improved health outcomes and an enhanced quality of life through the appropriate use of the CSHCS system of care.
Children's Special Health Care Services
Our goals are to:
  • Assist individuals with special health care needs in accessing the broadest possible range of appropriate medical care, health education and supports.
  • Assure delivery of these services and supports in an accessible, family centered, culturally competent, community-based and coordinated manner.
  • Promote and incorporate parent/professional collaboration in all aspects of the program.
  • Remove barriers that prevent individuals with special health care needs from achieving these goals.

CSHCS helps persons with chronic health problems by providing:

  • Coverage and referral for specialty services based on the person's health problems.
  • Family centered services to support you in your role as primary 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.

For more information:

Who is eligible for CSHCS?

Several factors decide whether a person is eligible for CSHCS:

  • Residency: Must be a Michigan resident
  • Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen or documented non-citizen admitted for permanent residence or a non-citizen legally admitted migrant farm worker (i.e., seasonal agricultural worker).
  • Age: Children must have a qualifying medical condition and be 20 years old or under. Persons 21 and older with cystic fibrosis or certain hereditary blood coagulation disorders commonly known as hemophilia may also qualify.
  • Qualifying Medical condition: A MDHHS medical consultant reviews each case to determine eligibility. Severity and chronicity of the person's condition as well as the need for treatment by a specialist are factors considered. More than 2,500 diagnoses are potentially eligible. View a list of these diagnoses (PDF).

There is a fee to join CSHCS. This fee is waived if your child is on Medicaid, or MIChild. This fee is based upon income.


Please call us at 231-995-6130 or the Family Phone line (800-359-3722) if you have specific questions about this fee.


Applying for CSHCS

The first step is to ask your specialist to submit a medical record less than 1 year old. This information can be in the form of a letter or report that fully describes the condition and treatment plan.


Your specialist will need permission to send the medical information to CSHCS. View an Authorization to Release Protected Health Information form.


If the person with special needs has not seen a specialist or you have questions:

  • Contact us at 231-995-6130
  • Call the CSHCS Family Phone Line at 800-359-3722
  • Email charriso@gtcountymi.gov

View the CSHCS brochure (PDF) from MDHHS.