Unique training offers support to those who care for foster children

Coordinating health care and day-to-day needs for foster kids can be complicated, but a new program is making sure parents are ready.

UnitedHealthcare serves more than 55,000 foster children all across the country, and the need to wrap support, care and services around these young people knows no state boundaries. Children placed in foster care have more health care needs than other children in the United States. They also have higher rates of exposure to trauma and are four times more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medications than other adolescent Medicaid members.

• A partnership with the National Foster Parent Association is helping UnitedHealthcare Community & State support parents who are caring for kids in foster care. 
• A key path to improving the well-being of foster kids involves supporting the well-being of foster parents.
• UnitedHealthcare Community & State is now serving 55,000 foster kids in the U.S., and integrates health and community services to ensure the best possible care

The National Foster Parent Association and UnitedHealthcare Community & State are working together to increase knowledge and strengthen the quality of interaction and responsiveness to children and youth in foster care. The training includes discussing their concerns and connecting them to available resources, including health care, mental health services, social services and more.

Through this partnership, foster care trainings are offered to help foster parents best meet the needs of their foster children.

To date, trainings have been held for more than 450 UnitedHealthcare staff, private foster care agencies, foster families and county staff in partnership with counties all across Ohio, with plans underway to expand to other states.  

Program partners