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Caregivers and Medical Care:
What You Need to Know
Medical Consent policy is important to understand for anyone caring for youth in foster care. We often get questions from caregivers about how they can participate in medical care for youth in foster care when they are not the medical consenter. While DFPS policy does not allow for shift staff at residential operations to be medical consenters, their role in the well-being of children is still critical. The partnership between caregiver, medical consenter and caseworker is crucial to ensuring youth in care receive timely and appropriate medical treatment. This is guidance to clarify the role of the caregivers at residential operations with shift staff.
What to do in the event of an emergency
Medical consent is generally not required by health care providers when a person is experiencing a medical emergency. Caregivers should seek treatment immediately and lifesaving treatment can usually be given without the medical consenter present. The caregiver should notify the medical consenter as quickly as possible but no later than the second business day following the event.
Participation in medical appointments
Although shift staff in residential operations are not medical consenters, these staff still participate in medical appointments. Shift staff can provide transportation and participate in routine appointments for youth at the facility. The Designation of Medical Consenters 2085-b form gives placement caregivers, including shift staff, allowances for participation in medical appointments.
Specifically, Section 6 allows the medical consenter to give the placement caregivers authority to participate in preventative care appointments including the Texas Health Steps checkup, preventative screenings and assessments, lab tests, dental checkups, and immunization appointments. This form is signed by the medical consenter and provides written permission to placement caregivers to seek this treatment without the medical consenter being present. Note that if prescriptions are given, the medical consenter must participate by phone or in person.
Doctor’s requesting medical consenter participation
Most physicians who work with youth in foster care are aware of the logistical challenges that can be present in having the medical consenter present at all appointments. Participation in appointments should be discussed with the physician and medical consenter. If participation is requested, even for preventative care appointments, telephonic or virtual options may be possible. If face- to- face participation is requested by the physician, the medical consenter must be present for appointments.
Residential providers and shift staff are more than just transporters
Caregivers at facilities often know how youth are responding to treatment and medications. They interact with them daily and may understand their needs in a different way than medical consenters. The input of these providers is crucial to understanding the daily functioning of a youth and vital to ensuring that a complete picture is given to the healthcare provider. These providers are not simply transporters to appointments. Their participation and input are still important to the overall well-being of youth in foster care.
Communication is key
Everyone who works with youth in foster care sees a different part of that child’s world. If a child is not functioning well in the placement or is having difficulty with medication compliance or side effects, communication is important. Shift staff should document any information about stability, medication compliance, and overall functioning and communicate this to caseworkers and medical consenters. It is with this full picture that a youth can receive treatment that is complete and informed. The partnership between all parts of the youth’s team – from placement to caseworker to family – is necessary to ensure that the healthcare provider can make decisions that will address all the child’s medical needs.
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