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The New Neighborhood is a limited series podcast that explores some of the dramatic changes taking place across the U.S. as people work to reinforce a sense of community, support young children and families, and work to build equity within communities. Each episode features emerging innovations that will create a society where all children and their families can thrive.
Abstract
The child welfare system strives to provide children and adolescents in foster care with a safe, nurturing environment through kinship and nonkinship foster care placement with the goal of either reunification with birth parents or adoption. Pediatricians can support families who care for children and adolescents who are fostered and adopted while attending to children’s medical needs and helping each child attain their developmental potential. Although this report primarily focuses on children in the US child welfare system, private and internationally adopted children often have…
Abstract
Children in foster care have greater physical and mental health conditions than children not in foster care. However, little is known about their actual healthcare utilization. This study describes healthcare utilization from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016 among children in foster care in the greater Houston, Texas area who receive Medicaid coverage through a single Medicaid managed care organization for children in foster care. Enrollment and claims data were used to describe demographic characteristics; outpatient utilization, location and type of encounters; inpatient…
"New data show that an unprecedented number of children in the United States are experiencing food insecurity and did not have sufficient food as of late June," writes Lauren Bauer in this blog post for the Brookings Institution. Survey data from the US Census Bureau revealed that "16.5 percent of households with children reported that it was sometimes or often the case that the children were not eating enough due to a lack of resources during the week of June 18-23 2020, 5.5 times the 2018 rate of 3 percent (the most recent annual data from the Current Population Survey)."
Bauer…
Abstract
This article provides recommendations for adapting the pediatric medical home (PMH) model for health care needs of youth in foster care. Recommendations are based on key informant interviews regarding experiences at an established PMH for youth in foster care. Major clinic recommendations include expanding the PMH framework to include proficiency in Medicaid billing, promoting true interdisciplinary care teams, improving care accessibility via phone consultation, providing a stable place for medical records to be housed, delivering services throughout stages of the child welfare…
RATES OF CHILDREN entering the US foster care system have been on the rise in the last 5 years. On any given day, nearly 443,000 children are in foster care in the US. Neglect, child abuse, and parental drug use are major reasons for foster care placement. Other factors may include parental behavioral health issues, poverty, and domestic violence.
Children in foster care have disproportionately higher rates of physical and behavioral health problems, largely due to having experienced complex childhood trauma and poor access to healthcare. (See Foster care demographics at…
Abstract
Purpose
As teens in foster care prepare for emancipation, health care navigation is often overlooked, as caseworkers address other social needs. This study examined the impact of health care education materials designed for foster youth, called ICare2CHECK. It was hypothesized that ICare2CHECK would increase nonurgent ambulatory health care use and decrease emergency/urgent care use.
Methods
Adolescents (N = 151; aged 16–22 years) were enrolled in ICare2CHECK and received health education materials at their baseline study visit. Surveys were repeated every 3…
Abstract
Approximately one third of children in foster care in the U.S. receive psychotropic medication; however, few studies have evaluated the extent to which either the number or dosage of drugs changes across time. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of Medicaid files for 30 individuals placed in a foster care system that included an analysis of 10 consecutive visits with a prescribing practitioner spanning 8–14 months. Specifically, we evaluated the data for evidence of deprescribing. Results indicate practitioners changed psychotropic medication during 70% of visits and…
The 1,000 day window, between a mother’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday, is a critical time that helps set the stage for the child’s future well-being. During this period, proper nutrition is crucial for supporting rapid brain development, building the immune system, and other essential functions. 1,000 Days, with support from Zero to Three and their Think Babies Campaign, has created this resource, Nutrition in the First 1,00 Days, to focus on the importance of investing in nutrition during this foundational period.
Abstract
ChildFund International (ChildFund) is a child‐focused International Non‐Governmental Organization (INGO) which, since 1938, has worked with local implementing partners (LIPs), government, and other partner organizations to help create the safe environments children need to thrive. The purpose of this commentary is to reflect on the utility and possible application of the suggestions and study designs in this special issue to real‐life intervention studies in dynamic context settings. The commentary provides three regional case examples with evaluation study lessons learned from…