About the Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Section

Vision

A Minnesota where all children and youth with special health needs and disabilities can live a life of dignity, opportunity, joy, and belonging.

Mission

We work together to champion the health and well-being of Minnesotans with special health needs and disabilities from the earliest stages of life through transition to adulthood.

Strategic focus areas

• We are a transparent, efficient, and engaged section.
• We engage in strong, collaborative relationships that enhance and extend our mission.
• We design and implement programs while transforming systems to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for children and youth with special health needs and disabilities.
• By leveraging our resources; increasing our capacity, learning, and growth; and committing to improved processes, we will meet the needs and expectations of our community and partners. 

Who do we serve?

One in every five Minnesota families with children has at least one child with a special health need. Estimates of children with special health needs in Minnesota range from 160,000 to 200,000

Respect for identities

In our commitment to inclusivity and respect for all identities, we strive to use language that honors each individual’s preferences and lived experiences. We recognize that having a health condition or disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity, and that language used to describe identity is both personal and evolving. For example, some people with disabilities prefer identity-first language (e.g., “disabled person”), others prefer person-first language (e.g., “person with a disability”). We respect these differences and aim to use descriptors relevant to the context and only when essential. We strive to stay responsive and open to changing our terminology as language evolves. 

In alignment with federal and state statutory language, our program uses the term “special” in the title Children and Youth with Special Health Needs and Disabilities. We acknowledge that for some, the term “special” is considered problematic and may imply a sense of “otherness” rather than inclusion. While this language reflects current terminology, we remain open to exploring ways to address and evolve its usage in response to community feedback. Our goal is to communicate in ways that reflect each person’s preferred identity and foster a sense of belonging and respect.  

Our approach to inclusive language emphasizes relationship-building, respecting each person’s chosen identity, and acknowledging that preferences can change over time. This statement serves as general guidance, as we understand that meaningful connection with individuals and communities is essential to fully respecting their identities.