Fostering health in the foster care maze.

The fastest growing population of children in foster care today is quite young, and many of these children have significant health care needs. The General Accounting Office (GAO) reported that children in foster care "are among the most vulnerable individuals in the welfare population" (GAO, 1995, p. 1). Poverty, increased homelessness, substance abuse, and a rise in the incidence of persons with HIV all contribute to the problems faced by these children. The Caring Communities for Children in Foster Care Project, funded by the Maternal Child Health Bureau Integrated Services Medical Home Initiative with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), investigated the availability of comprehensive health care services for children in foster care. The AAP recommends that pediatricians serve as the primary health care provider for children in foster care and also as consultants to child welfare agencies. Pediatric nurses play a crucial role in providing health care services to children in foster care. With an increased understanding of the potential physical and mental health care needs of children in foster care and the important role of foster parents, pediatric nurses can increase the likelihood of positive health outcomes for children in foster care.