CHMOCARE was part of the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Supplement included in the Sample Child Health Care Access and Utilization section of the NHIS. Before beginning this part of the survey, interviewers read the following statement:

The question for CHMOCARE was the first item in the section of the CSHCN dealing with "Medical Care, Mental Health, and Educational Services." Respondents who answered "yes" to CHMOCARE received the follow-up question, "Is this because of any medical, behavioral or other health condition?" (CHMOCAREHC). Persons with a "yes" response in CHMOCAREHC received an additional follow-up question, "Is this a condition that has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months?" (CHMOCAREYR).

The 2002 Field Representative's Manual provides the following information regarding the purpose of the CSHCN Supplement:

• Behavior

• Learning

• Growth or physical development

• Abilities and activities at school or play

• The kind or amount of services needed or used

According to the 2002 Survey Description, the CSHCN Supplement was included in the NHIS "to compare the results of a face-to-face in-home interview as conducted by the NHIS with a random digit dial telephone interview as conducted by NCHS's State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey (SLAITS)." The Survey Description also notes that the special needs questions included in the 2001 SLAITS and 2002 NHIS were taken from a standardized screener developed by the Foundation for Accountability (FACCT). The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), in collaboration with FACCT, provides further information on this screener on their website at http://www.cahmi.org, including scoring procedures used to identify children with special health care needs.