Health Issues for Judges to Consider for Children in Foster Care.

Juvenile court judges are uniquely able to influence the health and well-being of children in foster care by asking about a child's health status and special needs, ordering appropriate assessments and services, and ensuring that identified needs are addressed through the child's court-ordered case plan. Judges can require that attorneys, caseworkers, and caregivers bring detailed information about a child's health to court. This booklet provides an overview of important health issues for children and youth in foster care. The appendix provides three downloadable age-appropriate forms that judges share with case workers or caregivers to obtain, record, and track relevant health information for individual children, thus improving outcomes for children and youth in foster care. (Author abstract modified)