Foster Care Clinic: An Innovative Community Approach
The Foster Care Clinic at Blank Children's STAR Center is a multidisciplinary center and medical home for children of all ages who are placed outside of the home, whether in kinship care, foster care, or in a group setting. The Foster Care Clinic offers both medical and mental health services in one convenient location for children between the ages of zero to 18 years old. Our pediatric experts have an understanding of the child welfare system and will work with families and child welfare agencies to ensure children in foster care receive the best possible care.
Services Provided
The Foster Care Clinic brings together a team of experts to assist with the many needs of children in the foster care system. Some of these services include:
- Primary care medical services: well-child exams and sick visits
- Mental health assessment, short-term therapy, and ongoing therapy
- Comprehensive health assessment upon placement into foster care
- Developmental assessments
- Education and advocacy for children and caregivers
- Discharge/transition/transfer examination
- Care coordination and information gathering
How to Make an Appointment
Children placed out of the home with relatives, foster families, or in group homes may be seen at the Foster Care Clinic. To make an appointment or refer a patient, please call (515) 224-3310.
Why the Foster Care Clinic?
The Foster Care Clinic is a unique clinic, offering a specialized team approach to address the health and mental health of children in foster care. Our staff has knowledge of the particular challenges and needs that children may experience while transitioning in or out of care. Medical, mental health, and care coordination services are offered at one convenient location and appointments are coordinated to reduce the number of trips to the clinic. Appointments typically run 30-90 minutes to allow adequate time to properly assess and address any medical and/or mental health needs. Our best-practice approach ensures that we are always keeping the child's needs at the center of everything we do.