Does My Child Qualify for Medical Daycare?

If your child has a disability or complex medical needs, returning to work, running errands, or spending time with friends often become challenges. This is understandable, but it can also affect your mental health and quality of life.

Medical daycare provides a reprieve for parents by offering safe and supportive care from licensed medical professionals. It’s a great option for people who want to return to work or go about their daily tasks without putting their child’s well-being at risk.

Still, many parents wonder if their child will qualify. At Little Angels PPEC, with locations in Longwood, Orlando, and Apopka, Florida, our team offers medical daycare to infants, children, and teens. 

In this article, we explain what medical daycare is, the eligibility criteria for children in Florida, and how to determine if your child is a candidate.

What is medical daycare?

Medical daycare, or prescribed pediatric extended care (PPEC), provides daytime supervision for infants, children, and teenagers with disabilities or complex medical needs. It allows parents to handle other responsibilities without needing to hire a home nurse.

Medical daycare is unique in that it offers more than traditional childcare. All on-staff providers are licensed medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and physical therapists, which allows us to meet all of your child’s needs, including: 

• Medication management
• Medical therapy
• Medical transportation
• Skilled nursing

Beyond these benefits, medical daycare provides an environment for special needs children to socialize. They can play, make friends, and strengthen their social skills while parents have peace of mind.

Common eligibility criteria

Every state has eligibility criteria for medical daycare. These criteria often include:

Age range

Medicaid only covers medical daycare for infants, children, and teens. Young adults 21 or older will need to enroll in an adult daycare instead.

Qualifying conditions

Your child must have a chronic illness, developmental disability, or other special medical needs that require skilled nursing care. This includes a ventilator, gastrostomy (g) tube, or other device that requires daily supervision and monitoring.

Functional needs

Children in medical daycare need frequent monitoring by licensed healthcare professionals. Your child is likely a good candidate if they need multiple types of medication throughout the day or specialized therapy to support their mobility, speech, or activities of daily living (ADL).

Florida has unique enrollment requirements, so we recommend contacting the state Medicaid office for any questions about your child’s eligibility.

How to determine if your child qualifies for medical daycare

The easiest way to determine if your child qualifies for medical daycare is to make an appointment with their pediatrician and other members of their care team. 

Many doctors and specialists have experience with medical daycare, so they can help point you in the right direction.

If it’s determined your child is eligible, your pediatrician will refer you to a licensed PPEC provider, like us. We’ll then coordinate with your child’s care team to develop a schedule that supports their health and development. 

Learn more about the benefits of medical daycare

If you’re thinking about enrolling your child or teen in medical daycare, contact the nearest Little Angels Pediatric Extended Care office in Orlando, Apopka, or Longwood, Florida. We’d love to explain what sets our organization apart and talk more about your family’s needs.

To get started, call or book your appointment online today.