Half of the children in the nation's child welfare system have a history of special health care needs, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International and the University of Illinois in Chicago. During a three-year period, half of the children involved in the child welfare system had special health care needs that included chronic health conditions such as asthma, as well as behavioral, emotional and developmental problems.¹"This study is the first to examine longitudinally the extent of special health care needs among children in the child welfare system," said lead author Heather Ringeisen, PhD, director of the Children and Families Research Program at RTI. "Our results underscore the need for collaboration between health, mental health and social service providers to better meet their needs."

The study used data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. The survey, conducted by RTI International, followed approximately 5,500 children, ages 0-15, for five to seven years. They had been reported for child maltreatment.

The study examined outcomes for three years beyond the maltreatment investigation. Boys, children over age 2, and children living in poverty were all more likely than their counterparts to have special health care needs, the researchers found.

During a three-year period, 21 percent of children in the child welfare system had a history of learning disabilities, 14 percent exhibited emotional disturbances, and 12 percent had speech impairment. Nearly half of the children with special health care needs also had behavioral and developmental problems.

"The special health care needs, diversity of conditions, and associated functional impairments found among these children require a substantial investment by health and education systems in partnership with the child welfare system," said co-author Cecilia Casanueva, PhD. "Families need help coping with their child's chronic health, developmental and behavioral needs."

Reference

1. Ringeisen, H., Casanueva, C., Urato, M., et al. (2008). Special health care needs among children in the child welfare system. Pediatrics, 122 (1): e232-41.