First Hand Foundation

1. The child must be under the care of a pediatrician
2. The case must involve a specific child with a specific need
3. The grant request must be clinically relevant to the health of the child
4. There must be no existing financial net (such as Medicaid or private insurance) to cover the requested expenses.
5. The case must be in a proactive stage. An application for debt reduction for expenses already incurred will not be considered for First Hand Foundation funding.
6. Because First Hand believes in empowering the families it helps, the families must do their own legwork in seeking medical advice and treatment for their children. First Hand provides its support by funding the procedures and equipment recommended by experts. First Hand partners with other organizations to help the same child, to maximize the impact of its funding.

Types of Expenses Covered

• Treatment: Expenses associated with clinical procedures, medicine, therapy, prosthesis, etc.
• Equipment: Expenses associated with wheelchairs, assistive technology equipment, van modifications, care devices, hearing aids, etc.
• Displacement: Expenses associated with families of seriously ill children who must travel away from their home during treatment – lodging, food, gas, parking, and transportation
• Vehicle: Expenses associated with vehicle modifications, lifts, ramps and transfer boards.

Funding Process

1. The Case Manager will review the application to determine if any additional information is needed.
2. Once all necessary information is obtained, the application will be presented to the Clinical Decision-Committee.
3. The Committee is comprised of Cerner associates, and meeting are held once a month.
4. After the committee has reviewed the submitted materials from each case, a decision will be made.
5. The Case Manager will be responsible for follow-up.

First Hand is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization supported by the generosity of Cerner Corporation, its associates, its business partners, and friends. The Foundation assists individual children who have clinical, health-related needs and no financial safety net to cover these expenses. By focusing on the individual child, First Hand reaches children and their families who would otherwise fall through the cracks of insurance coverage and state aid. The Foundation strives to provide assistance that creates independence, rather than dependence for its recipients.

Application for funding from the First Hand Foundation (pdf-2 pages) is found below: