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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Division of Children's Medical Services
Contact Children's Medical Services
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Mailing Address
Children's Medical Services
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A06
Tallahassee, FL 32399
The Division of Children’s Medical Services (CMS) is a collection of programs that serve children with special health care needs.
Each program provides family-centered care, using statewide networks of specially qualified doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals.
Children's Medical Services' Bureaus and Programs
- Child Protection
- Early Steps
- Managed Care Plan
- Newborn Screening
- Specialty Programs
The Child Protection Bureau leads the Department’s prevention and intervention efforts for children who have experienced child abuse and neglect.
The bureau also works to prevent child abuse and neglect by leading several prevention initiatives and promotes child safety by providing poison prevention information and exposure assistance in partnership with the Florida’s Poison Control Centers.
Early Steps is Florida's early intervention system that offers services to eligible infants and toddlers, age birth to 36 months, who have or are at-risk for developmental disabilities or delays.
Early intervention supports families and caregivers to increase their child’s participation in daily activities and routines that are important to the family.
The CMS Health Plan is specially designed to bring extra benefits to children and their families, with care managers who help families understand and get the most from their child's benefits.
Enrollees in the CMS Health Plan, are under age 21 and have been deemed clinically eligible because they have special health care needs that require extensive preventive and ongoing care.
There are two versions of the CMS Health Plan, determined based on your household income level:
- Medicaid CMS Health Plan
- KidCare CMS Health Plan
Newborn Screening is a state public health program that screens newborns for 36 core genetic, endocrine, hemoglobinopathy, immunology, and metabolic conditions and may detect an additional 23 secondary conditions (for a total of 59 conditions).
Screenings for hearing loss and critical congenital heart defects are also completed prior to discharge from a hospital or birth facility. If a baby's newborn screen is abnormal, parents will be notified and the Newborn Screening Follow-up Program will ensure access to diagnostic testing to confirm results.
The Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers work to improve the outcome of pregnancy and the quality of life from birth. These centers provide obstetrical services to women who have a high-risk pregnancy and care for newborns with special health needs, such as critical illness or low birth weight.
The Bureau of Specialty Programs manages initiatives throughout the state that specialize in serving at-risk pregnant women and children with complex medical conditions.
These programs include the Medical Foster Care Program, Children's Multidisciplinary Assessment Team (CMAT), and services for those with craniofacial/cleft lip and cleft palate, hematology/oncology, HIV, and the Title V focal areas for children and youth with special health care needs.
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