FAQs
How is Joycare different from home health services?
Who is caring for my child each day?
What will my child do at the Health Center?
Can I tour the facility?
How is Joycare covered under insurance?
How do I enroll my child at Joycare?
Can I share services with home health?
How long does the admissions process take?
What are your hours of operation?
Is there a waiting list?
Will my child receive enough attention at Joycare compared to Private Duty Nursing or home health services?
How does Joycare handle emergencies?
Does Joycare provide transportation services?
What if a child becomes sick? Will he/she be isolated from others at the Health Center?
Overview
Joycare Pediatric Day Health Center is the second Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Center (PPECC) in Texas, and the first PPECC in the greater Houston area. We are a freestanding, privately owned entity with a passion for serving the medically fragile pediatric population from 6 weeks to 20 years old. We provide an alternative to home health services.
Driven by a staff of qualified and experienced health care professionals, Joycare’s mission is to provide an optimum care experience exceeding industry standards. The care team leverages established treatment approaches, while also developing new care standards to ensure patients’ needs are served. Joycare kids enjoy a wonderful, stimulating experience that inspire them to gain the most out of each day, while benefiting from rewarding social interaction.
Our registered nurses, therapists, certified nurse assistants, and instructors deliver specific plans of care for each child in an interactive environment coupled with an enrichment program. This unique and emerging approach results in marked improvement in overall quality of life for our children and is a win-win for all parties involved.
How is Joycare different from home health services?
Unlike home health, Joycare provides therapeutic & educational programming for each child. Children receive therapeutic and educational enrichment through reading time, music, behavioral redirection, sign language when appropriate, art, music, pet therapy, fun events, and our 8-week Summer Program. Additionally, our children have the immeasurable benefit of socializing and engaging with other children. Outcome studies have shown that children enrolled in PPECCs have shown significant improvement in quality of life scores (i.e. physical and psychosocial functioning) and had a much lower medical condition severity compared to those enrolled in home health settings. Many parents choose to combine Joycare services with their home health services depending on their children’s specific needs.
Who is caring for my child each day?
Every child enrolled at Joycare is assigned a nurse. Our Board-Certified Pediatrician and Medical Director is on call daily for emergencies. Our Nursing Director, who has over 14 years of experience in pediatric intensive care, supervises the clinical staff daily. Our clinical staff includes: Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs), Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, activity and music coordinators, a Certified Teacher with a background in Special Education, and other medically trained direct care staff. Once your child is enrolled, our Nursing Director will work with you and your child’s physicians and therapists to create a plan of care tailored to his/her needs.
What will my child do at the Health Center?
Depending on your child’s age, he/she will receive daily programming with an opportunity to engage and socialize with other children. Joycare plans daily schedules that are created to increase educational, behavioral, and communication skills. Here is a sample day of preschool programming:
| 7:30-8:00 am | Arrival time |
| 8:30-9:00 am | Morning Snack |
| 9:00-9:30 am | Circle Time (i.e. numbers, reading skills with Special Ed Teacher) |
| 9:30-10:00 am | Activity (i.e. sensory games with Special Ed Teacher) |
| 10:00-10:30 am | Music & Movement (sing with Special Ed Teacher) |
| 10:30-11:00 am | Outside Play |
| 11:00-11:30 am | Free Play (inside) |
| 12:00-12:30 pm | Lunch |
| 12:30-2:30 pm | Naptime |
| 3:00-3:30 pm | Snack |
| 3:30-4:00 pm | Art Time (i.e. paint, crafts with Special Ed Teacher) |
| 4:00-5:00 pm | Free Play and Parent pick up |
Can I tour the facility?
We encourage all prospective parents, referrers and payors to schedule a Live Virtual Tour. Regular tours to our facility are only allowed after hours and on the weekends. We want you to see and experience life at Joycare. Our new state-of the-art facility has a special room equipped with a bathroom that is ideal for monitoring children who might be feeling a little under the weather. The air in that room is sucked out of the facility and never circulates inside the building. When you schedule your tour, our caring staff will show you our state-of-the-art building and answer all your questions.
How is Joycare covered under insurance?
Joycare’s services are currently covered both in and out-of-network depending on your commercial insurance plan. Services are covered under Medicaid and many managed Medicaid plans (MCOs) per the requirements by the State of Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission.
How do I enroll my child at Joycare?
1. Connect
Submit your information below or call us at 713-929-2273 (CARE). Our team will explain Joycare’s services and will walk you through the entire process of entrusting the care of your child.
2. Assess
Let’s get to know each other! Schedule a Live Virtual Tour of the facility, receive an initial Nursing Review, and meet other members of the Joycare team. We want to show you why Joycare is the best option for your medically fragile child.
3. Register
Ready to transition your child to Joycare? Complete the intake paperwork and we will work with your child’s prescribing physician, social worker, or case manager and your insurance company to get everything set up!
4. Enjoy
Welcome! We are excited! Your child will enjoy a wonderful, stimulating experience that will inspire him/her to gain the most out of each day while receiving nursing care, required therapies, and enriching his/her life with rewarding social interaction.
Can I share services with home health?
Absolutely! Some parents choose to combine our services with home health. We have seen tremendous progress in as little as three months when children come to Joycare on a part-time basis.
How long does the admission process take?
Depending on how fast your pediatrician sends us the medical records, and what insurance you have, the admission process could take 2-4 weeks.
What are your hours of operation?
Joycare is opened Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. We provide consistent and reliable nursing care. Since we are a Pediatric Center, our service hours are guaranteed.
Is there a waiting list?
We don’t have a waiting list, but we have limited enrollment. Since we are the only PPECC (Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Center) in Houston for medically fragile children, we encourage all parents to contact us as soon as possible to secure enrollment.
Will my child receive enough attention at Joycare compared to Private Duty Nursing or home health services?
Absolutely! Every child enrolled at Joycare is assigned a Registered Nurse and a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Our Board-Certified Pediatric Medical Director is on call daily for emergencies. Our Nursing Director with more than 14 years of experience in Pediatric Intensive Care supervises the clinical staff daily. Our unique approach allows stricter supervision because we are a Pediatric Center. Rest assured, at Joycare, your child is in good hands!
How does Joycare handle emergencies?
Our Board-Certified Pediatric Medical Director is on call daily for emergencies. Our internal emergency protocol also involves calling 911 and informing the child’s pediatrician immediately.
Does Joycare provide transportation services?
Yes! We currently have 2 buses to serve the Houston metropolitan area. The buses have a nurse and a driver. We are also able to meet parents outside of our radius, if necessary. There is no additional cost for this service.
What if a child becomes sick? Will he/she be isolated from others at the Health Center?
Joycare’s new building is designed with a special isolation room equipped with its own bathroom. If a child is under the weather, the child will be placed in that room with a nurse. The air from that room is sucked out of the facility and does not circulate inside the building.