Health and education passport and the role of the foster care public health nurse

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the practical use of Health and Education Passport (HEP) for children in foster care and the role of the Foster Care Public Health Nurse (FCPHN) in tracking health and education records. Children in foster care have complex health problems and experience frequent changes in home and school placements that result in gaps documentation. California mandates an HEP for every child in foster care. Utilizing an online survey, PHNs describe their agency's use of the HEP, reported how they obtain health and education records for the HEP. Social workers, PHNs and mental health providers were main HEP users, less so for foster parents and youth who age out of foster care. The HEP was used at medical and dental visits. PHNs reported little to no participation in updating educators. The HEP may be most useful when the child moves to a new placement or school. The HEP is a critical document that ties a fragmented health history together. This study describes the foster care PHN role in updating the HEP and accessing health services and establishing a medical home.