ALBANY — Due to the closures of multiple hospital-based dental clinics in the region, children in foster care are at risk of missing a narrow window to get overdue check-ups and treatment.
Thanks to a series of reforms, these children and teens move into permanent homes more quickly than ever — which is seen by child welfare advocates as a positive development, but it also leaves social workers less time to address their unmet medical, dental and mental health needs.
Foster care agencies are required to set up a dental appointment within 30 days of placement, but now it takes two to three months to get that initial visit, according to Kim Cummins, a social worker at Northern Rivers, which sees 500 to 700 kids come through its residential facilities and foster homes each year.
The kids, who are enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans, often arrive with significant dental problems, requiring multiple visits or a specialist, according to Cummins.
“The kids, who are enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans, often arrive with significant dental problems”.
The article seems to point to the 30-day window for a dental visit that is difficult to meet because of the closure of some dental clinics. Yes, I get that, but what’s with their arriving with significant dental problems “requiring multiple visits or a specialist”? That degree of problem takes a LONG time to develop. The failure of the system is in the light regarding the clinic closures, but the problems need to be addressed way before.
What would it be like if the Medicaid Managed Care plans were obligated by statute to actually manage the care, eg when the computer shows children are enrolled but have not used benefits over a period of time, the parents or guardians are tasked with getting it done…even if it requires some sort of incentive and/or assistance with transportation or whatever… but there seems to be no obligation on their part to help the children. (Don’t the managed care plans make great money, whether needed care is received or not?)