Winter 2025
As 2025 continues to unfold, we are excited to bring you the latest edition of Whole You — a newsletter from Sunshine Health Pathway to Shine, formerly known as our Child Welfare Specialty Plan.
This new name, Sunshine Health Pathway to Shine, highlights our goals as a Health Plan to treat each of our members as a whole person and to focus on their overall well-being and individual goals. Whether you or your child are a Sunshine Health Pathway to Shine member, we hope that this newsletter makes you feel empowered as we work together to improve your health outcomes.
In this first edition with the new name, we have plenty of tips to help you and your child keep up with 2025 resolutions. You’ll also have access to mental health resources, learn about heart healthy tips for American Heart Month, and more!
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It’s the time of year when goals are set but not always completed. It can be hard to fit resolutions into your family’s routine, especially when you don’t have the right tools.
Here’s a short list of helpful tips to keep on track with health goals:
- Teamwork makes the dream work
Team up with friends or family who share the same goals and care about you and your child. Having people who know what you’re working towards will help you and your child stay motivated. - Lend a helping hand
Try volunteering at an animal shelter, visiting a retirement home or donating clothes. There’s added health benefits when you help others, including lower risk of depression and reduced stress. Plus, it’ll be a great lesson on giving back to your child. - Eating good feels good
Understanding what you and your child put into your bodies can help you make healthier choices this year. Feel like you could be drinking more water? Have a 12-ounce glass of water before and after meals – and encourage your child to do the same. There’s health benefits like improved brain function, better skin and more for you and your child. - Shake it up
Sign you and your child up for an event like a 5K walk or run. Having an end goal and mixing up your routines can be just the thing to get you both active. Most events benefit nonprofit groups, so you’ll be giving to a good cause while you’re at it! - Stay open to change
Life isn’t perfect. We’ll always have things that get in the way of our goals. Don’t give up or be upset if you need to change things up. Remind yourself and your child that making progress however you can is a win.
As a Sunshine Health Pathway to Shine member, you have access to multiple benefits we provide to your child at no extra cost. A few of these benefits now include:
- $50 Over-the-Counter Benefit: Each month, your child will now receive $50 that you can use to purchase items like baby wipes, allergy products, pain relief medicine, laundry detergent, soap, and more. Visit OTC Benefit to learn more.
- Care Grant: Eligible members receive up to $150 per calendar year per child for services or supplies for educational use, social use or physical activities. This includes using the funds for swimming lessons, sports equipment or supplies, art supplies or workbooks. Visit Benefits to learn more.
- Tutoring: With this expanded benefit, members aged 16 and up have access to twelve (12) tutoring sessions that last up to two hours annually. Contact your child’s Care Manager or visit Benefits to learn more.
- YMCA Membership: This expanded benefit includes access to free standing YMCA facilities and the Y360 virtual platform. Members must be aged 18 years and older while a guardian must be present for those aged 17 years and under.
Questions about care grants or other expanded benefits? Visit Benefits or call Member Services at 1-855-463-4100.
February is American Heart Month, but cardio health should be a goal all year round, even for your child. Physical health leads to happy mental health for both you and your child. Moving around is a great way to improve your child’s attention span.
Here are some free and easy ways to add a little cardio to your family’s day.
Join the Y. The YMCA not only has a full gym, but there are also fun physical classes your child can join. Plus, with our new YMCA Membership Benefit, you have access to free standing YMCA facilities and the Y360 virtual platform. Visit Benefits for more details.
Jump around. Short on time and space? Get jumping, jack! Jumping jacks can lead to lowered blood pressure and reduced stress. Have your family join and make it a friendly competition!
Walk it out. Take a stroll and enjoy nature. Too cold or hot in a walkable area? Have your child pick some music and join them on a “house walk” — which is the practice of walking around your home or marching in place.
Get in the groove. Turn up the tunes, and dance like no one is watching. Different dance styles can help you use a variety of motions and engage multiple muscle groups. Grab your child’s hand and have them join the fun! Dancing has been proven to increase brain activity and attention spans within children.
Every step counts. Tackle your to-do list by walking instead of driving to pick things up. If taking a leisurely walk isn’t possible, you can still add other activities. Find a parking space further away from where you’re going.
The start of a new year isn’t always joyous. Maybe you haven’t been feeling like yourself lately, or you’re worried about things that never bothered you before.
Everyone worries from time to time – including your child. When worrying makes it hard to focus or enjoy life, it may be time to ask for help. We’re here to let you know that you and your child have options to get the help needed.
Visit your doctor. Doctors are your partner in understanding the physical and mental health of you and your child. If your child doesn’t have a doctor, it’s time to find one that’s right for them. Use our Find-A-Provider Tool to find a provider or pharmacy near you.
Speak with a nurse 24/7 for free. No matter what time it is, we are here to make sure you have the answers to questions or concerns about your child's health. When you call our 24/7 Nurse Advice Line, you can speak directly to an experienced nurse about about medications and whether you should go to the emergency room. Call 1-855-463-4100 (TTY 1-800-955-8770) to talk to a nurse.
Video visit with a doctor. Telehealth is good when there's not an emergency or when you can’t take your child to the doctor. Get started with one of our Telehealth providers.
Call, text or chat for fast mental health help. With the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, you can get 24/7 help for you or a loved one. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Your mental health matters. When you are struggling to fulfill basic needs, it can affect your mental health. Luckily, with Sunshine Health Connects, you can access resources like food, shelter, healthcare, money, and more for you and your family. Visit Sunshine Health Connects or call 1-866-775-2192 (TTY 711) for help.
Sunshine Health has several programs to improve the health of our members with chronic conditions. Common chronic conditions in children can include asthma, diabetes or ADHD.
Whatever their condition may be, our programs are geared towards helping you understand and actively manage your child’s health. We are here to help you with things like:
- How to take medicines
- What screening tests to get
- When to call your child’s doctor
- When to go to the Emergency Room
Learn more about the benefits and services we offer related to chronic conditions.
It can be easy for you to identify what your child physically needs, however, their mental and emotional needs may not be as obvious. Good mental health allows your child to think clearly, develop socially and learn new skills. Here are a few ways you can nurture your child’s mental health:
- Give your child unconditional love. Love, security and acceptance is crucial to your child’s development. Make sure your child knows that your love does not depend on their accomplishments.
- Nurture your child’s self-esteem. When your child loses a game or fails a test, they may feel discouraged or need a pep talk. Find out how he or she feels about the situation. Later, when they are ready, talk and offer assurance.
- Make time for play! For children, playtime is just as crucial to their development as nutrition and hygiene. Through playtime and time with playmates, your child can be creative, learn problem-solving skills and more.
- Provide a safe and secure home. It’s normal for your child to feel afraid sometimes. However, if your child has fears that are starting to affect their behavior, it’s important to find out what is frightening them. Be patient when your child is explaining their fears – even if the fear they have isn’t grounded in reality, it is still very real to them.
Want to learn more about mental health in children and infants? Visit the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health for more information.