About Champions for Children
Mission, Vision and Goals
Since the program's inception, Champions for Children has had a clear mission and vision, We help Georgia's medically fragile and special needs children realize their full potential and enjoy a state of well being, including being cared for by their families at home. Additional program goals are to increase awareness throughout Georgia about non-profit services available to medically fragile and special needs children and increase access to healthcare and support services.
In light of these goals, Champions for Children provides two primary services:
- Direct financial assistance through reimbursements for care received;
- Referrals through Parent to Parent of Georgia, which links families with additional resources.
Positive outcomes are core values of the program. In a 2012 survey, clients were asked to rate the Champions program values. Overall, more than 85% of respondents found these statements to be true about Champions for Children:
- is consumer/family friendly
- supports and encourages family choice
- is easy to access
- helps to empower families
- has established ways to be accountable to families
This indicates that these cleints' experiences, the Champions program has delivered services and operated in ways that are very consistent with its established values.
Coalition Information
History
Until 2006, most Georgia families caring for their children with disabilities at home could qualify for the TEFRA/Katie Beckett Medicaid Program; this is a program that is open to children regardless of their parents' income. It offered the financial support for middle-income families to provide the care and services that their children needed and hold their lives together. HOwever, when the eligibility guidelines were changed, 1,681 children throughout the state who had previously qualified lost their coverage.
A rug had been pulled out from under these families. One parent wrote, "When [our son] lost his Katie Beckett waiver medical coverage due to their changes in the rules, we were scared silly. All of the money we desperately needed for his supports was suddenly gone."
Fortunately, the Georgia Legislature set aside funding to assist medically fragile and special needs children and their families, including but not only those impacted by the changes in eligibility for the Katie Beckett Waiver Program. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta oversaw the development of a plan for administering and distributing these dollars, and through the process the Easterseals Georgia Coalition formed (comprised of five Easterseals affiliates and Parent to Parent of Georgia) and remains the service provider of the Champions for Children program. Easterseals Southern Georgia, headquartered in Albany, is the fiscal agent.
Easterseals Georgia Coalition
| Easterseals North Georgia |
| 53 Perimeter Center East, Suite 550 |
| Atlanta, Georgia 30346 |
| (P) 404-943-1070 |
| easterseals.com/northgeorgia |
| Easterseals Middle Georgia |
| 604 Kellam Road / P.O.Box 847 |
| Dublin, Georgia 31040 |
| (P) 478-275-8850 |
| easterseals.com/middlegeorgia |
| Easterseals East Georgia |
| 1500 Wrightsboro Road / P.O. Box 2441 |
| Augusta, Georgia 30903 |
| (P) 706-667-9695 |
| easterseals.com/eastgeorgia |
| Easterseals West Georgia |
| 2515 Double Churches Road |
| Columbus, Georgia 32909 |
| (P) 706-660-1144 |
| easterseals.com/westgeorgia |
| Easterseals Southern Georgia |
| 1906 Palmyra Road |
| Albany, Georgia 31701 |
| (P) 229-439-7061 |
| easterseals.com/southerngeorgia |
| Parent to Parent of Georgia |
| 3805 Presidential Parkway, Suite 207 |
| Atlanta, Georgia 30340 |
| (P) 800-229-2038 |
