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Christine James-Brown Moderates Briefing on Capitol Hill Discussing Health of Children in Foster Care
On Monday, May 21, 2007, CWLA held a briefing on Capitol Hill entitled "Federal Issues Regarding the Health & Well-being of Children in Foster Care." The briefing was moderated by Christine James-Brown, President/CEO of CWLA and featured Dr. David Rubin and foster parents from the Washington, DC area. In his presentation, Dr. Rubin, Director of Research & Policy for Safe Place, Center for Child Protection & Health, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, provided an overview of the physical and mental health needs of children in foster care and their eligibility and coverage under the Medicaid program. He also discussed implications of recent Medicaid changes and possible legislative solutions that would help provide this vulnerable population with the comprehensive health coverage they need and deserve.
Ella Lewis of Seat Pleasant, Maryland and the National Foster Parent Association and Deborah Williams of Dumfries, Virginia and For Children's Sake of Virginia spoke to the audience about their personal experiences as foster parents-from the joys and rewards to the difficulties in accessing adequate health care for the children in their care. Ms. Lewis has been a dedicated foster parent for over ten years, during which she has parented more than a dozen children. Ms. Williams is also a nurturing foster parent who has worked with fragile infants and children with behavioral issues.
CWLA continues to work on the concerns expressed by Dr. Rubin and by Ms. Lewis and Ms. Williams. Specifically, CWLA is engaging in efforts to preserve two vital and effective Medicaid services that many states implement to assist children in the child welfare system-targeted case management (TCM) and rehabilitative services. Background information on TCM and rehabilitative services may be viewed here and talking points may be viewed here. Should you have any questions, please contact Laura Weidner at lweidner@cwla.org or 703/412.3168.
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