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Foster care and Medicaid managed care
Laurel K Leslie1, Kelly J Kelleher, Barbara J Burns
1Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA 92123-4282, USA.
Child Welfare
|May 29, 2003
Summary
Children in foster care have complex health needs and rely on Medicaid. This review examines Medicaid managed care for these children, offering solutions for improved healthcare delivery.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare policy
- Pediatric health
- Public health
Background:
- Children in foster care often have complex medical, behavioral, and developmental needs.
- These children are frequently reliant on Medicaid for healthcare coverage.
- The typical Medicaid child's health needs differ significantly from those of children in foster care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the challenges in providing managed healthcare services to children in the foster care system.
- To identify and describe potential solutions for improving healthcare delivery for this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research and policy documents.
- Analysis of issues related to managed care for foster children.
- Synthesis of proposed solutions and best practices.
Main Results:
- Foster children present unique healthcare challenges requiring specialized approaches within managed care.
- Existing Medicaid managed care models may not adequately address the comprehensive needs of foster youth.
- Several strategies can enhance service delivery, including care coordination and interagency collaboration.
Conclusions:
- Effective managed care for foster children necessitates tailored strategies that address their complex needs.
- Policy and practice adjustments are crucial for optimizing health outcomes for children in foster care.
- Collaboration between child welfare agencies and managed care organizations is key to successful implementation.