Foster Care System Challenges and Information Gaps
- A caseworker brought an infant to a PPP (likely a Parent Partner Program) appointment but couldn't answer any questions about the child.
- This highlights a systemic issue where caseworkers lack sufficient knowledge about the children they're handling.
- Foster parents should have essential information readily available, especially regarding pediatric care plans, if a child is placed with them.
- When foster parents are approved for placement, they should provide details about where they plan to take the children for pediatric care, particularly if they live out of the county.
- The system often struggles even to provide basic placement information promptly.
Systemic Issues and Triage
- The foster care system is described as "broken," with challenges in providing correct placement information at the time of triage.
- There is a need for more efficient information sharing and preparation.
Medication Management and Continuity of Care
- Foster parents should know about a child's medication history and ensure they receive their medications as prescribed.
- Sometimes, children are off their medications for extended periods (greater than 30 days) because the foster parent either didn't know or didn't administer the medication.
- The discussion suggests a need for a system to track medication adherence and ensure continuity of care.
- Medical records and information may not be readily accessible if a child was previously receiving care in another state (e.g., Michigan when the foster placement is in Ohio).
- OREs (Ohio Revised Codes or potentially medical records) for medical care on the Ohio-Michigan border might not show up in the system, complicating the process of verifying a child's medication history.
- This lack of interoperability between systems makes it difficult to determine if children are receiving necessary medications.
