Resources and information about Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP), types of health services, and how to locate health services and free or low-cost health insurance in your State or local community.
- Health insurance: Medicaid, CHIP, and the Affordable Care Act
- Types of health services
- Health services locators
- Programs for families affected by HIV/AIDS
Bright Futures
A national health promotion initiative dedicated to the principle that every child deserves to be healthy and that optimal health involves a trusting relationship between the health professional, the child, the family, and the community as partners in health practice.
Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010: Categorical Eligibility of Foster Children (PDF - 46 KB)
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (2011)
Addresses issues related to the eligibility of foster children to receive free meals per Subtitle A, Section 102 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Children at Risk: Optimizing Health in an Era of Reform (PDF - 4,250 KB)
National Association of Social Workers, Social Work Policy Institute (2012)
Presents a brief that summarizes issues discussed at a symposium in 2011 and provides recommendations that emerged from the participants' deliberations, which led to the formulation of an agenda for action. Issues discussed include research on health-care delivery and health characteristics of children in the child welfare system and the implementation strategies to improve physical and behavioral health outcomes, access, and coverage for children served by the child welfare system.
GoodHealthTV®
KAT Communications
Delivers culturally relevant health education programming. The Video Library offers online access to videos that address topics such as infant to teen health, behavioral health, injury prevention, emergency preparation, and more.
Health Insurance Options. A Tip Sheet for Child Welfare Workers—Linking Families to Health Insurance
Capacity Building Center for States (2015)
Provides information on health insurance options for parents, caregivers, children, and youth who come in contact with the child welfare system. This tip sheet supports child welfare workers in linking families to needed health insurance.
Healthy Children
American Academy of Pediatrics
Presents guidance on child health and parenting issues to support the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Healthy Foster Care America
American Academy of Pediatrics
Addresses the health issues and needs of children and youth in foster care and provides resources on health systems of care. The website has a library of resources also related to the health and well-being of children and youth in foster care.
National Women's Health Information Center
Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Offers original health information on a variety of special topics for women as well as health tools, statistics, and resources in Spanish.
Perspectives on Fostering Connections: A Series of White Papers on The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (PDF - 1,465 KB)
FosteringConnections.org Project (2013)
Discusses State plans to improve their systems of care and the additional policies that have been put into place to address the oversight of psychotropic medications and the health-care needs of youth aging out of foster care. All of the provisions outlined in the law are described, the challenges in oversight and coordination are presented, and achievements thus far are noted.