Providing health care for children in foster care: a role for advanced practice nurses.

Children placed in foster care remain one of the country's most medically underserved groups. At the same time, health care problems are increasingly common in this population. The child welfare system is in a crisis as it struggles to place greater numbers of children with increasingly complex health care needs into limited foster care settings. Six solutions have been proposed in the literature, and are as follows: (a) designation of a particular agency or individual to serve as health care coordinator; (b) timely assessment and care provision; (c) use of a medical passport; (d) increased training for foster care providers and case workers; (e) advocating for improved legislation and standards; and (f) development of community-based clinics. Advanced practice pediatric nurses have the capability to play a key role in providing and coordinating care for children in foster care.