Preparing for Your Appointment

If you are a parent and your child in foster care needs an appointment, call 267-426-0982 to discuss with our care coordinator; you do not need a referral. If your child was referred to our program by the Department of Human Services (DHS), Community Umbrella Agency (CUA), or healthcare provider, you will get a call from the FHP’s care coordinator to introduce the program and schedule a time for the initial evaluation.

The evaluation typically lasts about one hour per child. Your child will see a series of specialists, including pediatricians, occupational therapists, and others. The child will have a well child checkup, as well as a developmental evaluation.

In advance of the appointment, our care coordinator will work with your child welfare professionals and any prior providers to gather prior medical records and relevant background information. Identifying missed immunizations or previously diagnosed medical conditions is an important step towards helping us generate an accurate health picture to guide coordination of care moving forward.

During your appointment, you should be prepared to discuss any questions you have about:

• Your child’s medical history.
• Behaviors or medical issues you’ve observed.
• Basic medical screenings that will be performed during the evaluation, including vision, hearing, a complete physical exam and TB screening.
• Developmental, behavioral, and emotional screenings that may be performed.

After the FHP evaluation, a summary we call a “medical passport” of your child’s health and background will be developed. This information will be shared with you, your child’s primary care physician, and DHS or CUA case worker to ensure coordinated, streamlined care. Your child may be scheduled for a follow-up health assessment at the Fostering Health Program. This will help ensure a smooth transition for your child and make sure his or her healthcare is well-coordinated during these transitions.