The Foster Care Medical Home opened its doors at the end of 2015 and is modeled on the idea of the patient-centered medical home, but tailored specifically to the needs of children in out of home placement through either foster or kinship care. This service provides comprehensive health care to children in the foster care system, regardless of insurance coverage, which satisfies state Health Check requirements, including urgent evaluation within 24–72 hours, a one month comprehensive follow-up and 3-6 month recurring follow-up evaluations.
A multidisciplinary approach
We value a thorough approach because we recognize children placed in foster care or kinship care have more complex needs as compared to the general population. Not only do we offer medical evaluations, we also engage other specialists for the best care. In order for these children to truly be healthy, we must speak to their emotional, behavioral and educational needs as well as medical.
To meet these needs we offer social workers to provide resources and wraparound services to the children and their families. Children and families who participate in the Foster Care Medical Home are eligible to receive behavioral health services including evaluation and therapy. An education specialist also provides direct services to the child; provides education to the foster/kinship caregivers; acts as a liaison between the medical and educational systems; and ensures that the school environment is able to meet their complex needs.
Services provided to children seen at the Foster Care Medical Home include:
- Thorough medical records review and compilation.
- Comprehensive medical exams.
- Vision and hearing screening.
- Access to Child Life Specialists.
- Onsite immunization clinic.
- Laboratory and radiology evaluations.
- Onsite social workers providing resources and wraparound services.
- Onsite evaluations by a behavioral health specialist.
- Onsite evaluations by the education specialist.
- Timely referral for medical home.
- Timely referral for dental work.
- Timely referral for education services including Birth to Three and 4-K programs.
- Development of a Health Passport for the child.
