Health Issues In Foster Care
Background
Children and adolescents involved with child welfare, especially those who are removed from their family of origin and placed in out-of-home care, often present with complex and serious physical, mental health, developmental, and psychosocial problems rooted in childhood adversity and trauma. As such, they are designated as children with special health care needs. There are many barriers to providing high-quality comprehensive health care services to children and adolescents whose lives are characterized by transience and uncertainty.
The 2011, the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Pub L No. 112-34) built on and clarified well-being provisions in the Fostering Connections Act. Specifically, the 2011 law …show more content…
Overall, 30% to 80% of children come into foster care with at least 1 physical health problem, with fully one-third having a chronic health condition . It is common for such problems to have gone undiagnosed and untreated before foster care. In addition, 46% to 60% of children younger than 6 years have a developmental disability that qualifies them for services. Up to 80% of children in foster care enter with a significant mental health need, and 20% have significant dental …show more content…
Prior to foster care, the vast majority lived with families devastated by substance use, mental health disorders, poor education, unemployment, violence, lack of parenting skills, and involvement with the criminal justice system. High rates of premature birth, prenatal drug and alcohol exposure, and postnatal abuse and neglect contribute to the extremely poor health status of children and adolescents entering foster care. In addition, health care prior to foster care placement often is inadequate, meaning that children and adolescents entering foster care have multiple unmet health care needs, far exceeding even those of other children who are poor.
The child’s health history is often unavailable or incomplete at the time of placement in foster care. Birth parents may be absent or uncooperative, and caseworkers may be unable to elicit information from them. Before removal from their home of origin, children may have had multiple previous health providers or limited contact with the health care
Children and adolescents involved with child welfare, especially those who are removed from their family of origin and placed in out-of-home care, often present with complex and serious physical, mental health, developmental, and psychosocial problems rooted in childhood adversity and trauma. As such, they are designated as children with special health care needs. There are many barriers to providing high-quality comprehensive health care services to children and adolescents whose lives are characterized by transience and uncertainty.
The 2011, the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Pub L No. 112-34) built on and clarified well-being provisions in the Fostering Connections Act. Specifically, the 2011 law …show more content…
Overall, 30% to 80% of children come into foster care with at least 1 physical health problem, with fully one-third having a chronic health condition . It is common for such problems to have gone undiagnosed and untreated before foster care. In addition, 46% to 60% of children younger than 6 years have a developmental disability that qualifies them for services. Up to 80% of children in foster care enter with a significant mental health need, and 20% have significant dental …show more content…
Prior to foster care, the vast majority lived with families devastated by substance use, mental health disorders, poor education, unemployment, violence, lack of parenting skills, and involvement with the criminal justice system. High rates of premature birth, prenatal drug and alcohol exposure, and postnatal abuse and neglect contribute to the extremely poor health status of children and adolescents entering foster care. In addition, health care prior to foster care placement often is inadequate, meaning that children and adolescents entering foster care have multiple unmet health care needs, far exceeding even those of other children who are poor.
The child’s health history is often unavailable or incomplete at the time of placement in foster care. Birth parents may be absent or uncooperative, and caseworkers may be unable to elicit information from them. Before removal from their home of origin, children may have had multiple previous health providers or limited contact with the health care