Medical Visits for Children Guidance
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, poses an unprecedented challenge to the Department of Children and Families. There are crucial functions we must carry out to fulfill our responsibility to ensure children are safe and healthy. As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, doctors’ offices, and hospitals may have different procedures in place for providing routine medical care and may be experiencing a higher than usual volume of patients. After checking in with your children, families, and foster/kin caregivers this week, you may identify children that need medical attention, especially children who have recently entered into placement. Children in care may have routine medical visits scheduled, they may have complex medical needs that necessitate ongoing visits, or they may be sick. While telehealth visits are possible in certain circumstances, other situations may require an in-person visit. The DCF Medical Team is available to support you and answer any questions you may have.
Screening and Comprehensive Exams
While our goal has always been to have all children entering a new placement seen for an initial screening exam within 7 days and a comprehensive medical exam within 30 days, we are recommending that you only schedule initial screening visits for the foreseeable future. This is because medical offices need to conserve resources during the COVID-19 outbreak. A priority should be placed on children with chronic medical conditions (like asthma, diabetes, cardiac conditions), children under 5, and children who are ill at the time of home removal.
If children are sick: Please call the health care provider as medical offices have specific screening protocols in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Missing or Absent Medical Visits
You may have a child that returns from an episode of being missing or absent from their placement. Medical visits are not required every time this occurs and should happen on an as needed basis. If sexual exploitation is suspected, the child has an injury, or is in an acute psychiatric state you should schedule a medical screening and/or a mental/behavioral health evaluation. Refer to the Children Who are Missing or Absent Policy for additional information on talking to children when they return from being missing or absent to determine if medical attention is needed.
When Telehealth Visits are Ok
Some medical offices are offering telehealth visits. These visits are occurring mostly by telephone at this time and rarely by video. When utilizing telehealth, it would be ideal for children to be scheduled with medical providers who know them or have treated them before when possible. Children who are sick (with cough, fever, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy) will usually need to be seen in person but a telehealth visit can determine when this is necessary. It is recommended that babies under the age of 12 months be seen in person if possible.
Getting Children to Visits Safely
With schools and child care centers closed, getting children to critical medical visits may become a challenge for foster and kin caregivers, especially if they are caring for multiple children. There may be situations where you will need to support children in receiving critical medical attention by taking these children to their visits. If this occurs, we recommend talking to your supervisor, manager and the DCF Medical team to screen and plan for everyone’s safety.