Medical Services
Foster Care Health Program
Purpose of the program
To determine and meet the unmet health needs of abused and neglected children and adolescents placed in foster care, to screen and refer for mental health, developmental, and dental problems, and to determine the resources needed to give proper health care to foster children.
Unmet needs of foster children
Children and adolescents placed in foster care typically have medical, dental, emotional and developmental problems. Foster children suffer from asthma at three times the national average. Other medical conditions include anemia, neurological, respiratory, digestive and dermatologic problems. Many foster children suffer from delays in speech and language, cognition, fine and gross motor skills. They may also have emotional and behavioral problems stemming from maltreatment.
Foster Care Health Program Services
- Complete "head-to-toe" physical examination by pediatricians with training and expertise in child abuse and neglect
- Screening for dental, developmental, psychological and behavioral problems
- Denver Developmental Evaluation performed for age appropriate children (0-6 years)
- Timely medical treatment and referrals for mental health, developmental, and dental problems to resolve or reduce barriers to successful school, home, and/or foster placement
- Development of a comprehensive health plan for each foster child who receives a FCHP exam
- Immunizations and vision/hearing screening
- Referrals to medical and mental health experts
- Documentation of medical history (including immunization), dental, and mental health status in the medical record
- Coordinated response and follow-up on health-care needs by county, public health nurses co-located with the program
- Referrals to primary care physicians to provide a "medical home" for foster children
- Consultation for foster parents and social workers on the medical history and support needed regarding the child's current medical needs
- Consultation to mental health providers on the health needs of the child and how these can interface with the provision of mental health treatment
- Assessment and referral of children with serious mental health problems indicating a need for psychiatric evaluation to the Center's psychiatrist
- Statistically document and describe the health, mental health, developmental, and dental needs of foster children
- Training for CPS social workers and foster parent groups on the medical, mental health, developmental, and dental problems of the children
- Information to CPS management about the medical, mental health, developmental, and dental needs of the children placed in foster care
- Through medical assessment and screening, increase access of child placed in foster care to Medi-cal.
Sacramento County policy regarding medical examinations for children placed in foster care
- Sacramento County policy requires a complete screening and evaluation of the children's medical, dental, developmental and psychological needs
- Children placed in foster care receive their initial comprehensive medical exam at the Foster Care Health Program. Exceptions include children with medically complex problems already receiving comprehensive health care
- After children receive their initial examinations at UC Davis Children's Hospital, foster parents can use their own primary care physician, or be referred to a community physician on the county Department of Health and Human Services foster care provider list.