Development of an Integrated Medical and Behavioral Health Care Model for Children in Foster Care

Development of an Integrated Medical and Behavioral Health Care Model for Children in Foster Care

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Description

Children in foster care are classified as a population with special health care needs. They face multiple adverse childhood experiences and disrupted relationships, yet face barriers accessing consistent, high-quality health care. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends integrated physical and behavioral health care for children in foster care, but little is known about the implementation of integrated care for this population. As a pediatrician, doctor of nursing practice, and psychologist in an academic medical setting, we describe the development and implementation of the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence, emphasizing the role of medical and behavioral health providers in promoting the overall well being of children in foster care. We discuss the evolution of the integrated care model, as well as current initiatives for quality improvement, research, and advocacy; and future goals for evaluation, education, policy, and collaboration to improve the lives of children in foster care.

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3551-4725; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5799-3160; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6560-6298

Publication Date

2021

Keywords

Pediatrics, Child Welfare, Dallas, Integrated Care, Trauma-Informed

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Development of an Integrated Medical and Behavioral Health Care Model for Children in Foster Care

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