The Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH) is a quality assurance agency in the Ohio Department of Health that promotes the early identification of children with special health care needs and the referral of those children to quality medical providers for diagnosis and treatment. Children with special health care needs are defined as those who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.

Children, age 0-21, who are residents of Ohio, who have or may have a medically handicapping condition and who are under the care of a BCMH-approved physician. Financial eligibility is required only for treatment services.

Many children who are uninsured or underinsured.

It is estimated that 10% of the children born in Ohio have special health care needs.

In fiscal year 2003, BCMH provided funding for services to 31,000 children with medically handicapping conditions.

The BCMH annual budget is $24 million.

The average cost per child on the BCMH treatment  program is $805.

Click here to learn more about the services BCMH provides.*

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