Improving Child Well-Being: Strengthening Collaboration Between the Child Welfare and Health Care Systems

Improving the well-being of children involved with child welfare requires close collaboration between the child welfare and health care systems. Annually in the United States, approximately 6 million children are referred to child protective services (CPS), 700,000 children are confirmed victims of child maltreatment, and 250,000 children enter foster care (i.e., an out-of-home placement).  For decades, medical providers have played an integral role working with CPS in the initial identification, evaluation, and diagnosis of child maltreatment, particularly for victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and medical neglect. Collaborations between the child welfare and health care systems are often more limited after the initial CPS investigation period ends, even though the complex health care needs of this population continue as they traverse the child welfare system.