If someone has told you that your child might benefit from a PPEC, you probably have one question before all the others: how do we actually make this happen?
Most parents we talk to are not confused about what a PPEC is. They are stuck on the process, on whether their child qualifies, who writes the prescription, what Medicaid pays for, and how long it takes. Those unanswered questions are the reason families wait months longer than they needed to.
So here is the whole thing, start to finish, the way it actually works in Florida. Children’s Rehab PPEC has been family-owned and operated since 1991, with centers in Miami Gardens and Lehigh Acres, and this is the same walkthrough we give parents in person or over the phone.
The Short Version: Three Steps to Enrollment
- Confirm your child needs skilled nursing during the day.
- Tour the center and meet the nursing and therapy team.
- We build the care plan with your child’s doctor, and your child starts.
Most families go from first phone call to first day within a couple of weeks.
Step 1: Find Out Whether Your Child Qualifies
PPEC stands for Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care. It serves children from newborn to age 21 who need skilled nursing during the day, not just supervision.
The children in our centers typically have at least one of the following:
- A tracheostomy, a ventilator, CPAP or BiPAP, or supplemental oxygen
- A feeding tube, including G-tubes, GJ-tubes, and NG-tubes
- A seizure disorder that requires monitoring and rescue medication
- Cerebral palsy or another neurological condition with complex daily care needs
- A recent NICU discharge with ongoing monitoring, feeding, or medication needs
- A genetic or congenital condition requiring frequent nursing intervention
- Multiple daily medications, or medical equipment that has to be managed by a licensed nurse
The simplest test: if your child needs a nurse during the day, a PPEC is very likely the right fit. If your child is medically stable and mainly needs therapy appointments, an outpatient clinic is usually the better option, and we will tell you that honestly on the first call.
Step 2: Ask Your Child’s Doctor for the Prescription
PPEC is a prescribed service. That is what the P stands for. Your child’s physician has to write the order, and that can be your pediatrician, pulmonologist, neurologist, or whichever specialist manages your child’s care.
What to say at the appointment: “I would like a prescription for PPEC, prescribed pediatric extended care, so my child can receive skilled nursing and therapy during the day.”
Many pediatricians write these regularly. If yours has questions, we are glad to speak with their office directly. That call usually takes ten minutes and removes the single biggest delay in the whole process.
Helpful to bring with you: your child’s diagnosis list, current medications, a list of equipment, and any recent hospital discharge summary.
Step 3: We Verify Your Coverage
PPEC services are covered by Florida Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans, including Sunshine Health, Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Health Plan, and Humana Healthy Horizons, at no cost to your family. Skilled nursing, one-to-one therapy, specialized education, meals, and transportation are all included.
You do not have to handle the insurance side yourself. Give us your child’s plan information and we take care of verification and authorization with the plan.
If your child is not currently on Florida Medicaid, tell us anyway. Many medically complex children qualify through pathways their families did not know existed, and we can point you in the right direction.
Step 4: Come and See the Center
No parent should hand over a medically fragile child to a place they have only seen on a website. Come tour. Bring your questions, and bring your child if you can.
Miami Gardens – 2727 NW 167th St, Miami Gardens, FL 33056 – (305) 622-7575
Lehigh Acres – 3020 Lee Blvd, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971 – (239) 674-7439
Questions worth asking on any PPEC tour, ours included:
- What is your nurse-to-child ratio?
- Are your therapists your own employees, or contracted through an agency?
- Is therapy one-on-one, or are children grouped together?
- How will I hear about my child’s day?
- What happens if my child has an emergency while they are here?
Our answers: our therapists are our own full-time employees, not agency contractors, so they are part of your child’s daily team rather than occasional visitors. All therapy is delivered one-to-one with no grouping. Parents receive daily updates with photos and video. And every nurse is trained on your child’s individual emergency plan before their first day.
Step 5: The Care Plan, and the First Day
Before your child ever attends, we build a written care plan together with your child’s physician. It covers medications and timing, feeding schedules and rates, respiratory settings and alarm thresholds, seizure protocols, emergency steps, and individual physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy goals.
Then we arrange transportation. It is free, door-to-door, in a fully equipped vehicle with a nurse on board, across South Florida.
And then your child starts.
What a Day Actually Looks Like
We are open Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Saturday from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm, built around a working parent’s schedule rather than a clinic’s.
A typical day: arrival and a nursing assessment, medications and feeds on schedule, one-to-one therapy sessions woven through the day instead of stacked at the end, specialized education with our teachers, circle time and play alongside other children, rest, and a full handoff at pickup.
The part parents tell us they did not expect: their child makes friends.
When a PPEC Is Not the Right Answer
We would rather point you somewhere else than take a child we are not the right place for.
- If your child needs hospital-level care right now, that comes first. We are ready when they are discharged.
- If your child is medically stable and needs therapy only, outpatient therapy is a faster and better fit.
- If what you need is overnight care in your home, that is private duty home nursing, which is a different service from PPEC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child have to be on Medicaid to attend a PPEC?
PPEC is covered by Florida Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans at no cost to the family. Some private insurance plans also cover it. Call us with your plan information and we will check for you.
Who can write the PPEC prescription?
Any physician who manages your child’s care, including your pediatrician or a specialist such as a pulmonologist, neurologist, or gastroenterologist.
How old can my child be?
PPEC serves children from newborn through age 21.
How long does enrollment take?
Most families move from first call to first day within a couple of weeks. The prescription is usually the step that takes longest.
Is transportation really free?
Yes. Door-to-door transportation in a fully equipped, nurse-staffed vehicle is included at no cost.
Can my child attend part of the day instead of all day?
Yes. We offer full-day and partial-day schedules and build the schedule around your family’s needs.
Will my child receive therapy every day?
Therapy is built into your child’s daily routine, delivered one-to-one, and reinforced by our nursing and education staff throughout the rest of the day.
Can I visit or observe a therapy session?
Yes, any time. Parents are welcome to observe sessions and to tour before enrolling.
Take the First Step
If your child needs a nurse during the day and you are trying to get back to work, back to your other children, or simply back to sleep, we can help you figure out whether a PPEC is the right move.
Call or text us and we will walk you through it, including speaking with your child’s doctor if that would help.
Miami Gardens – 2727 NW 167th St, Miami Gardens, FL 33056 – (305) 622-7575
Lehigh Acres – 3020 Lee Blvd, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971 – (239) 674-7439
Family owned and operated since 1991.