Foster Care Support Clinic

Program/Project Name

Foster Care Support Clinic

Affiliation Name

Medical University of South Carolina

Website URL

http://www.musckids.org/fcsc/index.htm

Model Type

Medical Home

City

Charleston

State

SC

State specific location

Hospital Based Clinic

How is program/project funded?

State Funding, Health Insurance

Describe how it's funded

Funding comes from a contract with Department of Social Services for education, training and care coordination (reimbursed based on an hourly rate for various service provider types), medicaid reimbursement for direct care services, and small amount of hospital support.

What services does it provide?

Entry to care health assessment, Comprehensive health assessment, Standardize screening (developmental, mental health), Subspecialty referrals, Ongoing primary care/medical home

Where does it provide services?

Country-based

Description of program/project

The Foster Care Support Clinic (FCSC) at MUSC is a primary care medical home for children in foster care in Charleston, SC and surrounding counties. In addition to the standard primary care services, we collaborate extensively with area agencies, mental health providers and social services. We do enhanced mental health and developmental screenings, as well as trauma-informed psychiatric medication management and referrals to evidence based psychotherapies. We also provide consultation for children around the state with complex medical needs (technology dependent, CP, etc) and behavioral health concern

How are patients tracked?

Commercial electronic medical record, Specialized database for your program, EPIC

Does the program provide special focus?

Mental health, Youth in group home/residential care

Program/Project strengths

1. We have worked very hard to build a strong relationship with Department of Social Services (DSS) as well as with area mental health providers. Our relationship with DSS allows us advocate for children in foster care, as well as for DSS workers to reach out to us with urgent/emergent issues and decrease emergency department utilization.
2. Our contract with DSS allows us to employ a full time RN for care coordination/case management, and for NP to have protected time for care coordination and supervision.
3. Because we are within general pediatrics, we rely on the support of our child abuse colleagues but are comfortable with and able to manage medically complex children.
4. We staff patients weekly at Charleston County DSS office - we meet with workers to go over patients, as well as are available for foster care review board meetings, treatment team meetings, etc.

Program/Project challenges

1. It continues to be a challenge to provide good psychiatric medication management. When we have a patient who needs additional psychiatric consultation - it is difficult to find a provider with any availability or child psychiatry/trauma expertise. We also lack sufficient trauma-informed therapists who provide evidence based psychotherapy.
2. We have a tremendously underfunded department of social services - we struggle with balancing advocating for children with holding DSS workers accountable, not enabling bad behavior.
3. We ask a lot of foster parents - to attend appointments, attend trainings, etc. Sometimes they are reticent and don't use our practice.

Contact Name

Elizabeth Wallis, MD, MSHP

Email Address

wallis@musc.edu

Phone Number

843-876-8454