Questions Parents Ask Us

Four things have to be true: your child needs care that requires a licensed nurse on a daily basis, your child is between birth and age 21, your child has Florida Medicaid, and your child’s physician writes an order saying PPEC is medically necessary. The nursing need is the requirement families are most often surprised by.

Only if there is also a daily medical need that requires a licensed nurse. PPEC is a nursing program, so a child who is medically stable and needs therapy or behavioral support alone will not be approved, no matter how much the therapy would help. If that is your situation, call us anyway and we will point you toward outpatient therapy, an ABA provider, Early Steps or your school district, whichever fits your child’s age and diagnosis.

Tube feedings, tracheostomy care, ventilator support, oxygen, suctioning, catheter care, seizure rescue medication, wound care and complex medication schedules are common examples. If you are unsure whether your child’s needs count, a five-minute call with one of our nurses will tell you.

Call us. We can walk you through the Florida Medicaid application process and tell you whether your child is likely to qualify medically before you invest time in the paperwork.

It depends on how quickly the physician’s order and the Medicaid authorization come through. We handle the verification and coordinate the paperwork with your child’s doctor, and we keep you updated at each step rather than leaving you to chase it.

For families with Florida Medicaid, PPEC is a covered benefit with no copay, and that includes the transportation. We verify your coverage before enrollment so you never get a surprise bill.

Yes, for eligible children. We pick up at home or school and bring your child back, with trained staff riding along on every trip.

PPEC in Florida is a Medicaid benefit. If your child is covered by private insurance only, call us and we will tell you what your options look like.

Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Florida Medicaid covers up to 12 hours of PPEC care per day.

Yes. Many families start with two or three days a week and increase from there once everyone is comfortable.

Licensed nurses supervised by our Director of Nursing, along with therapists and child development staff. Our team speaks both English and Spanish.

Yes. Parents are welcome any time the center is open, and you do not need an appointment.

Meals and snacks are provided and adapted to your child’s diet, whether that is oral feeding, G-tube or NG.

Yes. Our after-school program lets school-age children come to us afterward and continue their nursing care and therapy with the same team, on the same plan of care.

Our nurses assess your child, notify you immediately and follow the emergency plan documented in your child’s chart, coordinating with your physician as needed.

Yes. Ellie’s World PPEC is licensed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration under Chapter 400, Part VI of the Florida Statutes.

Only as ordered by your child’s physician, administered and documented by licensed nurses, with any change reported to you the same day.

Our center is in Port Charlotte and we provide transportation across Charlotte, Lee, DeSoto and Sarasota counties, including Punta Gorda, North Port, Arcadia and North Fort Myers.