Healthcare Utilization Patterns Among Children With a History of Child Protective Services Investigations

Abstract

PurposeExamine whether children with a prior child protective services (CPS) investigation had different healthcare utilization compared to children without a history of CPS investigations.MethodsThe Children's Health Assessment and Planning Survey assessed 6,492 primary caregivers of children ages 0–17 years residing in North Texas in 2015. Caregivers reported prior CPS investigations and child healthcare utilization (emergency department [ED] use, unmet medication needs, and unmet medical care needs).Principle FindingsA total of 408 (5%) caregivers reported their child had a CPS investigation. Children with CPS investigations had greater odds of visiting the ED (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.5) and not receiving necessary medical care (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.8) compared to children without a CPS investigation.ConclusionsPrior CPS investigation was associated with disparities in receipt of necessary medical care and ED utilization for children.

Child protective services involvement and exclusionary school discipline

“…Alternatively, students with disabilities, due to their higher levels of need, may disproportionately benefit from the increased resources, supervision, and health care services that are provided in foster care. CPS‐involved children have high rates of inadequately detected and untreated physical, developmental, and mental health problems (Carr et al, 2020; Crozier & Barth, 2005), and—despite real concerns about the quality and consistency of therapeutic services (Szilagyi et al, 2015)—children in foster care are more likely than their in‐home counterparts to receive assessment and treatment. This may also explain why, in our study, the benefits of foster care were concentrated among White children, as studies have consistently found that Black children receive fewer mental health services, even in foster care, irrespective of their need (Garland et al, 2003; Leslie et al, 2004; McMillen et al, 2004).…”