Department of Health and Human Services 

OFFICE OF 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

JULY 2003 

OEI-02-00-00360 

FOSTER CARE CHILDREN’S USE OF 

MEDICAID SERVICES IN 

NEW JERSEY 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

http://oig.hhs.gov 

The mission of the Office of Inspector General (OIG), as mandated by Public Law 95-452, as amended, 

is to protect the integrity of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, as well as 

the health and welfare of beneficiaries served by those programs. This statutory mission is carried out 

through a nationwide network of audits, investigations, and inspections conducted by the following 

operating components: 

Office of Audit Services 

The OIG's Office of Audit Services (OAS) provides all auditing services for HHS, either by conducting 

audits with its own audit resources or by overseeing audit work done by others. Audits examine the 

performance of HHS programs and/or its grantees and contractors in carrying out their respective 

responsibilities and are intended to provide independent assessments of HHS programs and operations in 

order to reduce waste, abuse, and mismanagement and to promote economy and efficiency throughout the 

Department. 

Office of Evaluation and Inspections 

The OIG's Office of Evaluation and Inspections (OEI) conducts short-term management and program 

evaluations (called inspections) that focus on issues of concern to the Department, the Congress, and the 

public. The findings and recommendations contained in the inspections reports generate rapid, accurate, 

and up-to-date information on the efficiency, vulnerability, and effectiveness of departmental programs. 

Office of Investigations 

The OIG's Office of Investigations (OI) conducts criminal, civil, and administrative investigations of 

allegations of wrongdoing in HHS programs or to HHS beneficiaries and of unjust enrichment by 

providers. The investigative efforts of OI lead to criminal convictions, administrative sanctions, or civil 

monetary penalties. The OI also oversees State Medicaid fraud control units which investigate and 

prosecute fraud and patient abuse in the Medicaid program. 

Office of Counsel to the Inspector General 

The Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG) provides general legal services to OIG, rendering 

advice and opinions on HHS programs and operations and providing all legal support in OIG’s internal 

operations. The OCIG imposes program exclusions and civil monetary penalties on health care providers 

and litigates those actions within the Department. The OCIG also represents OIG in the global settlement 

of cases arising under the Civil False Claims Act, develops and monitors corporate integrity agreements, 

develops model compliance plans, renders advisory opinions on OIG sanctions to the health care 

community, and issues fraud alerts and other industry guidance. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

OBJECTIVE 

To determine whether sampled foster care children are receiving Medicaid health care services 

in New Jersey. 

BACKGROUND 

Currently, there are an estimated half a million children in foster care nationwide, many of whom 

are reportedly in poor health. Compared with children from the same socioeconomic 

background, foster children suffer much higher rates of serious emotional and behavioral 

problems and chronic physical disabilities. Despite their need, it appears that many foster 

children are not receiving adequate health care. 

This inspection focuses on the state of New Jersey and is one of eight states being evaluated. 

FINDINGS 

Foster care children are deemed eligible for Medicaid services in New Jersey. However, our 

analysis of 2 years of Medicaid claims for 50 foster children in New Jersey show that few of 

these children are receiving Medicaid services, particularly Early and Periodic Screening, 

Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) services. In addition, interviews with the caseworker and 

caregiver for each of the 50 children reveal that caseworkers and caregivers are not informed 

about the Medicaid program and they have received very little training in Medicaid services for 

foster children. Also, most caseworkers and caregivers did not receive their foster child’s 

medical information, and they report difficulty finding Medicaid providers. 

Claims Data Indicate That Only Half the Children in our Sample are 

Receiving Medicaid Services Despite Every Child Having Coverage 

Although all 50 children in the sample have Medicaid coverage, New Jersey Medicaid claims 

data show that only 24 of the 50 children have had a health care claim between April 1999 and 

April 2001. Only 11 children have claims for mandated EPSDT services. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ i OEI-02-00-00360 
Sampled Caseworkers and Caregivers Are Not Informed About the 

Medicaid Program, Do Not Have Their Foster Child’s Medical 

Information, and Have Difficulty Finding Medicaid Providers 

Just one of the caseworkers reports having received any training in Medicaid services for foster 

children. In addition, few caregivers have been given the tools necessary to negotiate the 

Medicaid system, such as a list of Medicaid providers and a schedule of appointments that 

children need. Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that 

state Medicaid agencies inform eligible individuals about the EPSDT program, few caregivers 

and caseworkers have heard of EPSDT. In New Jersey, enrollment in Medicaid managed care 

is voluntary for foster care children, yet 76 percent of the caregivers interviewed are not aware 

of the managed care option. Also, most caseworkers and caregivers report difficulty finding 

Medicaid providers. 

Caseworkers for half the children in our sample say they either did not receive the child’s 

medical records or they received only partial records. Caregivers for 34 children also report 

that they did not receive a medical history or that the information they received was incomplete. 

According to New Jersey state law, the Division of Youth and Family Services is responsible 

for establishing and maintaining a foster child’s health care record. 

CONCLUSION 

This inspection identifies several shortcomings in New Jersey’s child welfare and Medicaid 

systems that cause concern. We documented that, although all the children in our sample are 

covered by Medicaid, less than half have Medicaid claims and less than a quarter show EPSDT 

claims for preventive health care. Caseworkers and caregivers are not informed about the 

Medicaid system. They also do not have complete medical information about the children, 

perhaps compromising the children’s health care needs. The lack of training for both 

caseworkers and caregivers, the lack of effort to promote Medicaid managed care despite 

caseworker and caregiver concerns about access to Medicaid providers, and the lack of 

communication and coordination between the Division of Youth and Family Services and New 

Jersey Medicaid reveal that New Jersey may not be making reasonable efforts to assure that 

foster care children are receiving appropriate and necessary health care. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

We believe that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), CMS, and the State of 

New Jersey need to address the shortcomings in New Jersey’s child welfare and 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ ii OEI-02-00-00360 
Medicaid systems. Accordingly, to help ensure that all eligible foster care children receive their 

entitled health care services, we recommend that: 

• ACF work with New Jersey to provide more training to caseworkers and caregivers 

on the Medicaid program, EPSDT, and managed care to help them better negotiate 

these health care systems. Two possible vehicles through which ACF may bring about 

such a change are the Child and Family Service Reviews and the annual Joint Planning 

Process; and 

• ACF and CMS work with the State of New Jersey to address the concerns of 

caseworkers and caregivers regarding the lack of access to Medicaid providers. They 

should also work together to promote communication between New Jersey Medicaid 

and the Division of Youth and Family Services so that the Division and caseworkers 

have better information about the health care that foster children are receiving. 

COMMENTS 

We received comments from ACF, CMS, and the State of New Jersey. Both ACF and CMS 

agree with our recommendations. The ACF, through the Child and Family Services Plans, will 

address the need for New Jersey to provide training to caseworkers and caregivers to ensure a 

greater level of service for foster children from Medicaid providers. The Child and Family 

Services Review for New Jersey in 2004 will determine if the efforts to improve training have 

led to improved medical health outcomes for foster children. 

The CMS agrees that New Jersey Medicaid should work with the Division of Youth and 

Family Services to provide information on the availability of Medicaid providers. The CMS 

offers to provide technical assistance to the state to promote this process. 

Both ACF and CMS made a number of technical comments that we incorporated into the 

inspection report, when appropriate. The full text of the comments received from ACF and 

CMS are included in Appendix D. 

The State of New Jersey indicated that, subsequent to our field work, several projects intended 

to impact the health care needs of foster children were initiated. The full text of those 

comments can also be found in Appendix D. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ iii OEI-02-00-00360 
Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ iv OEI-02-00-00360 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 PAGE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................... i

INTRODUCTION ............................................................. 1

FINDINGS

Only Half of the Children Are Receiving Medicaid Services .......................... 6

Caseworkers and Caregivers Not Informed, Lack Medical Information and Providers ..... 9

CONCLUSION ............................................................. 13

RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................... 14

APPENDICES

A: New Jersey Foster Care ................................................ 16

B: New Jersey State Laws and Regulations ..................................... 17

C: New Jersey EPSDT Schedule ............................................ 19

D: Comments ........................................................... 20

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................... 32
INTRODUCTION 

OBJECTIVE 

To determine whether sampled foster care children are receiving Medicaid health care services 

in New Jersey. 

BACKGROUND 

Currently, there are over half a million children in foster care nationwide, many of whom are 

reportedly in poor health. Compared with children from the same socioeconomic background, 

foster children suffer much higher rates of serious emotional and behavioral problems, chronic 

physical disabilities, birth defects, developmental delays, and educational difficulties.1 Half of all 

children in the child welfare system suffer from developmental delays or mental health problems 

that are serious enough to need clinical intervention.2 A General Accounting Office (GAO) 

report reviewed foster care populations from California, New York, and Pennsylvania in 1986 

and 1991. Compared to the 1986 population, the 1991 foster care children had more healthrelated problems, were at a higher risk for problems due to prenatal drug exposure, and 

entered foster care to a greater extent due to some form of neglect.3 In addition to the needs 

they share with other children, such as immunizations, routine well-child examinations, and 

treatment of childhood diseases, foster children clearly have a greater need for specialized 

health care services. 

Despite their need, it appears that many foster children are not receiving adequate health care. 

Many foster parents report difficulty in finding health care professionals who are willing to care 

for their children. It is estimated that 60 percent of all children in out-of-home care have 

moderate to severe mental health problems, yet less than one third of 

1

Chernoff, R. et. al., Assessing the Health Status of Children Entering Foster Care, Pediatrics, 93:2, 1994. 

2

Ensuring the Healthy Development of Foster Children, New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on 

Justice for Children, 1999. 

3

Foster Care: Parental Drug Abuse Has Alarming Impact on Young Children, General Accounting Office, 

GAO/HEHS-94-89, 1994. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 1 OEI-02-00-00360 
those children receive mental health services.4 A second GAO report issued in May 1995, 

entitled “Health Needs of Many Young Children are Unknown and Unmet,” found that a 

significant proportion of young foster children did not receive critical health-related services in 

the three locations studied (Los Angeles County, New York City, and Philadelphia County).5 

In fact, GAO estimated that only 1 percent of these children received Early and Periodic 

Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) services6, a federal entitlement to 

comprehensive medical services for Medicaid-eligible children under the age of 21. 

Medicaid for Foster Children 

The Medicaid program provides health care to low income persons and long term care to the 

disabled and low income elderly. It is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services (CMS) and jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Within broad 

national guidelines, each of the states does the following: establishes its own Medicaid eligibility 

standards; determines the type, amount, duration, and scope of services; sets the rate of 

payment for services; and administers its own state Medicaid program. In 1999, Medicaid 

payments for foster care children nationwide approached $2.9 billion.7 

According to Section 1902 (a)(10)(A)(i)(I) of the Social Security Act, foster children covered 

under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act are eligible for Medicaid. Foster children who are 

not eligible for Title IV-E usually qualify for Medicaid through other eligibility categories set 

forth by each state. 

New Jersey 

New Jersey’s foster care system is centrally managed. The New Jersey Department of Human 

Services is responsible for all the children in foster care within the state. At the time of this 

inspection, the state had just over 9,500 children in foster care. Within the Department, the 

Division of Youth and Family Services (the Division) handles the state’s family and child welfare 

services. New Jersey has five regional offices, 32 district offices and six adoption resource 

centers. Regional offices supervise district offices and adoption resource centers and provide 

administrative and support services. Caseworkers in district offices are responsible for 

placement, supervision, and coordination of services 

4

Factsheet: The Health of children in Out-of-Home Care. Child Welfare League of America. Retrieved 

3/14/03 from: http://www.cwla.org/programs/health/healthcarecwfact.htm. 

5

Healthy Needs of Many Young Children are Unknown and Unmet, General Accounting Office, 

GAO/HEHS-95-114, 1995. p 2. 

6

Healthy Needs of Many Young Children are Unknown and Unmet, General Accounting Office, 

GAO/HEHS-95-114, 1995. p 5. 

7

HCFA-2082 Report for Fiscal 1999: http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/msis/99total.pdf. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 2 OEI-02-00-00360 
for children; those in adoption resource centers have the added responsibility of preparing 

cases for parental rights termination court actions. See Appendix A for a more detailed 

description of New Jersey foster care. 

Also within the New Jersey Department of Human Services is the Division of Medicaid 

Assistance and Health Services. It administers the Medicaid program in New Jersey and is 

responsible for the Medicaid claims data. We refer to this division as “New Jersey Medicaid.” 

METHODOLOGY 

This inspection is based on information gathered from multiple sources: Medicaid claims data, a 

review of state laws and policies, and interviews with state agency officials, caseworkers, and 

caregivers. 

Reasons for State Selection 

This inspection focuses on the State of New Jersey and is one of eight states being evaluated. 

New Jersey was selected because of its size, centralized child welfare system, and geographic 

proximity to the OIG regional office in New York City. 

Sample 

We constructed a two-stage sample of foster children. First, we randomly selected five 

Division of Youth and Family Services district offices in New Jersey. Second, we randomly 

selected 10 children from each office. This sample was pulled from all the children in those 

district offices who had been in continuous foster care placement for at least 6 months prior to 

April 2001. Because of our sample design, we do not generalize our findings to the universe of 

all New Jersey foster care children. 

We grouped placement types into two categories: 1) family care, in which a child lives in a 

family setting with non-relatives or relatives; and 2) residential care, in which a child is placed in 

a group home or larger residential facility with paid staff. Of the 50 children, 22 were in 

residential care and 28 were in family care at the time of data collection. We included the one 

case of an 18-year-old child living independently in the residential care category because a 

caseworker, not a foster parent, is responsible for the child. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 3 OEI-02-00-00360 
Review of Medicaid Claims Data and State Laws and Policy 

Medicaid Claims Data. New Jersey Medicaid provided a paid claims history for 2 years for 

the children in our sample. The data include claims paid between April 1999 and April 2001. 

New Jersey Medicaid also provided encounter data. The vast majority of foster children in 

New Jersey are not in managed care and none of the children in our sample showed encounter 

data for our inspection period. As mentioned above, all the children in our sample had been in 

continuous care for at least 6 months prior to April 2001. Half the children were in continuous 

foster care the entire 2-year period. The other half of the children were in foster care for 

shorter lengths of time or were in and out of care over the 2-year period. We determined the 

periods of time the child was in foster care based on information given by the caseworkers and 

caregivers. 

In reviewing the Medicaid claims, we paid particular attention to the types of services, dates of 

service, settings, and diagnoses, where available. We excluded claims that were not health 

care-related, such as those for administrative or transportation costs. We also excluded claims 

with a service date for a time our data clearly show that the child was not in foster care or for a 

time after the study period. If it was not clear that the child was in foster care during a certain 

period of time, we included Medicaid claims corresponding to that period in our analysis. 

Several children in the sample have more than one Medicaid number. When a child enters 

foster care in New Jersey he or she receives a Medicaid number. If that child already has a 

Medicaid number through some other program, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy 

Families or Supplemental Security Income, the child will then have two Medicaid numbers. 

The Division of Youth and Family Services and New Jersey Medicaid program staff report that 

these numbers should be reconciled to leave a child with one Medicaid number, but in some 

instances the reconciliation does not occur. In these instances, Medicaid services could be 

billed under each of that child’s Medicaid numbers. New Jersey Medicaid program staff took 

this situation into account when compiling the claims data. 

In addition, New Jersey’s Department of Human Services provided a list of services paid by 

the Division of Youth and Family Services for children in the sample. The same methods used 

to analyze the Medicaid claims were used to analyze these health care payments. 

State Law and Policy Reviews. We reviewed state laws pertaining to the health care of 

foster children. We also collected and reviewed licensing requirements for foster homes and 

residential facilities, the current and proposed revisions of the foster parent handbook, and 

state-issued EPSDT-related information. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 4 OEI-02-00-00360 
Interviews 

Caseworker Interviews. We interviewed each child’s caseworker either in person or by 

telephone. Some children had the same caseworker, giving us a total of 34 caseworkers for the 

50 children in our sample. Each interview focused on the caseworker’s understanding of and 

training in Medicaid, their experience accessing services for foster children, and any barriers to 

health care faced by foster children in general. Each caseworker spoke specifically about the 

sample child’s case and generally about his or her own experiences working in foster care. 

Caregiver Interviews. We interviewed the foster parents of the 28 children in family care and 

residential facility staff for the 22 children in residential care. We use the term “caregiver” to 

refer to a foster parent or a staff member of a residential facility who is responsible for the child. 

Like the caseworker interviews, our interviews with caregivers focused on training, Medicaid, 

and procuring health care services for the child. We analyzed the responses and compared 

them to those of the caseworkers, noting any consensus or disagreement within and between 

the two groups. 

State Agency Officials. We held several meetings, both in person and by telephone, with 

officials from the Division of Youth and Family Services and New Jersey Medicaid. Our 

discussions covered a wide spectrum of information to help us understand how the state’s 

foster care and Medicaid systems are organized. 

This inspection was conducted in accordance with the Quality Standards for Inspections 

issued by the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 5 OEI-02-00-00360 
FINDINGS 

Foster care children are deemed eligible for Medicaid services in New Jersey. However, our 

analysis of 2 years of Medicaid claims for 50 foster children in New Jersey show that few of 

these children are receiving Medicaid services, particularly EPSDT services. In addition, 

interviews with the caseworker and caregiver for each of the 50 children reveal that 

caseworkers and caregivers are not informed about the Medicaid program and they have 

received very little training in Medicaid services for foster children. Also, most caseworkers 

and caregivers did not receive their foster child’s medical information, and they report difficulty 

finding Medicaid providers. 

Claims Data Indicate That Only Half the Children in our Sample are 

Receiving Medicaid Services Despite Every Child Having Coverage 

Federal law requires that foster children covered under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act be 

deemed eligible for Medicaid (see § 1902 (a)(10)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act). In New 

Jersey, foster children who are not covered under Title IV-E are eligible for Medicaid under 

New Jersey state law (Appendix B). Every child in the sample had a valid Medicaid number at 

the time of this inspection. 

Although all 50 children in the sample have Medicaid coverage, New Jersey Medicaid claims 

data show that only 24 of the 50 children have had a health care claim between April 1999 and 

April 2001. This number is far lower than expected in light of two facts: 1) New Jersey state 

law requires the Division of Youth and Family Services to make every reasonable effort to 

assure that foster children receive appropriate and necessary health care8 and 2) foster care 

children generally have more medical problems than both children outside of foster care and 

children in the general Medicaid population. 

The 24 children have a total of 1,701 paid health care claims over a 2-year period. 

Prescription medication is the most common type of claim: Twenty children have a total of 550 

prescription claims. See Table 1 below for other frequent claims. The children with claims 

have an average of six different types of services. The 26 children without Medicaid claims 

appear to have the same characteristics as those children with Medicaid claims. 

8

NJ AC 10:122D-2.5(a) 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 6 OEI-02-00-00360
Table 1 

Health Care Claims 

Number of Children Claim Type Number of Claims 

21 Office Visits 105 

21 Diagnostic/Laboratory 262 

12 Dental Services 126 

3 Hospital Visits 172 

Source: New Jersey Medicaid Claims Data, 2001 

There are circumstances where a child may receive some type of health care service that is not 

billed through New Jersey Medicaid. A child in residential care, for instance, may get a health 

care service through the facility that is not billed to Medicaid because residential facilities often 

have providers on staff or under contract. At the time of data collection, 22 of the 50 children 

were in residential facilities. Eleven of these 22 have a Medicaid claim. Mental health 

professionals work with 14 of the facilities. Doctors and nurses work with 11 facilities and 

dentists work with six facilities. 

Also, a New Jersey foster child can be placed in foster care in another state. In those cases, 

Medicaid claim information is usually included in the child’s placement state’s data, not in New 

Jersey’s data. Our records show that five children were in out-of-state placements at the time 

of data collection. That does not mean, however, that they were out of New Jersey for the 

entire study period. Our data show that two of the five were in foster care in another state 

during the entire study period. Interestingly, one of these two has a New Jersey Medicaid 

claim. 

Only 22 Percent of Children Have Claims for Screening Services 

While states have the flexibility to design their own Medicaid programs, the EPSDT program 

requires each state to provide coverage for comprehensive and preventive child health services 

to Medicaid eligible individuals under the age of 21. In general, EPSDT treatment services 

include all mandatory and optional services available under the Medicaid program. Specifically, 

these services cover screening, vision, dental, and hearing services.9 Optional services include 

case management, physical therapy, rehabilitative services, and private-duty nursing. 

Diagnostic services are covered whenever there is a medical need to conduct further 

examination. Treatment or medical care must be provided for any physical or mental conditions 

discovered by the screening services. 

9

Social Security Act §1905 (r) 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 7 OEI-02-00-00360
New Jersey has set its own EPSDT periodicity schedule, based in large part on the one 

developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. New Jersey’s schedule can be found in 

Appendix C.10 New Jersey law requires that the Division of Youth and Family Services 

ensure that foster children receive medical and dental examinations at least annually after the 

initial medical examination performed at the time of placement. The type and frequency of the 

exam shall be based on the foster child's age and medical needs. 

However, only 11 of the children have an EPSDT claim. Of these children, eight have a dental 

EPSDT claim, two have a preventive EPSDT claim, and one child has both types. 

This finding is further supported by CMS data that show New Jersey has had low EPSDT 

participation rates. The latest year of available data from CMS, 1998, show 35 percent of all 

New Jersey children who were eligible for both Medicaid and EPSDT services participated in 

EPSDT.11 In 1995, New Jersey’s EPSDT participation rate was 32 percent, 12 percent in 

1996, and 4 percent in 1997.12 In January 2001, New Jersey began distributing $10 incentive 

payments to providers to increase reporting of EPSDT visits. 

State Funds for Services Not Covered by Medicaid are Also Used, But Few 

Children Receive These Services 

The caseworkers report that they turn to the Division of Youth and Family Services for 

assistance when they feel a foster child needs a service that is not covered by Medicaid. The 

Division will sometimes pay for a health care service that is not covered by Medicaid, such as 

replacement eyeglasses. It appears that there may be as many as three pools of funds that 

caseworkers can access for foster children’s health care needs. One is at the headquarters 

level, one is at the district offices, and one is through a cost-reimbursement contract in which a 

contracted agency provides services. 

The Division provided data on payments it made for health care services dated between April 

1999 and April 2001. These data show that the Division paid for health care services for 11 of 

the 50 children in our sample. The most common types of paid service are assessment and 

evaluation and maternity home care. In only one instance is the service a medical examination. 

Six of the 11 children who had health-related services paid by the Division do not have any 

Medicaid claims. 

10AAP Policy Statement Volume 105, Number 03, March 2000, pp 645 “Recommendations for Preventive 

Pediatric Health Care (RE9939).” 

11http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/epsdt/ep1998.pdf, July 7, 2002. 

12http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/epsdt/ep1995.pdf, http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/epsdt/ep1996.pdf, 

http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/epsdt/ep1997.pdf, January 9, 2003. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 8 OEI-02-00-00360 
Most caseworkers and caregivers say that their foster child had the Division mandated 

comprehensive medical evaluation upon first entering foster care. But caseworkers point out 

that this exam is often performed by a nurse from a district office of the Division of Youth and 

Family Services, and one caseworker indicates that this is a quick check and not 

comprehensive. 

Sampled Caseworkers and Caregivers Are Not Informed About the 

Medicaid Program, Do Not Have Their Foster Child’s Medical 

Information, and Have Difficulty Finding Medicaid Providers 

Caseworkers and Caregivers Report Very Little Medicaid Training 

Just one of the caseworkers reports having received any training in Medicaid services for foster 

children. This caseworker is responsible for four children in our sample. The lack of training is 

significant, given the important role that the caseworker plays in the health care of foster 

children and how frequently caregivers rely on caseworkers. The caseworker is the main 

source of information and assistance for caregivers. Caregivers turn to their caseworker when 

they need help accessing services or seek information regarding Medicaid cards or Medicaid 

providers. 

In addition, few caregivers have been given the tools necessary to negotiate the Medicaid 

system. Only eight of the caregivers say someone explained to them which services might not 

be covered under Medicaid. Sixteen report they were given a list of health care professionals 

who accept Medicaid. Twenty mention they were given a schedule of appointments that 

children need. Just five caregivers say they were given all three of these tools. 

Among caregivers, foster parents report that they do not receive general Medicaid training. 

Some say they learn about Medicaid informally from their caseworker, while other foster 

parents say they teach themselves. We examined the package given to foster parents at their 

general training and found that it does not address Medicaid. In correspondence with the 

Office of Inspector General, the Division of Youth and Family Services reported that another 

handbook is supposed to be distributed to all foster families, usually at the time of the home 

study or at the time of approval. The handbook briefly describes Medicaid and EPSDT. It 

also includes recommended medical appointment schedules. Our inspection did not determine 

whether or not foster parents received this handbook. 

Foster parents receive little training related to the health care of a foster child. Most of the 28 

foster parents say they have not received any training in regard to the health care of foster 

children. Six parents report that they have received some training. This training 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 9 OEI-02-00-00360 
ranges from a first aid course to simply receiving some information regarding Medicaid or 

getting checkup schedules. In contrast, residential facilities often have trained health care 

professionals on staff. 

Few Caregivers and Caseworkers Have Heard of EPSDT 

The CMS requires that state Medicaid agencies must “provide for a combination of written and 

oral methods designed to inform effectively all EPSDT eligible individuals (or their families) 

about the EPSDT program.”13 Only 15 of the caregivers, however, say they have heard of 

EPSDT and even fewer of the caseworkers have heard of it. For all 50 children, fewer than 

half have a caseworker or caregiver who has heard of EPSDT. Of the caregivers, residential 

facilities report knowing about EPSDT more often than foster parents. 

New Jersey Medicaid program staff report having problems mailing EPSDT forms and 

reminders to caregivers due to difficulty in obtaining foster children’s correct address from the 

Division of Youth and Family Services. 

Seventy-six Percent of the Caregivers are Not Aware of Managed Care 

Option 

Most states enroll Medicaid populations in managed care.14 A managed care organization 

offers third-party financing of necessary medical care and provides coverage for a defined set 

of medical and health benefits. Managed care also describes a system in which an individual 

primary care provider coordinates all care, including referrals to specialty services. Certain 

Medicaid populations, such as foster care children, may be “carved out” (not included) of the 

state managed care contract. 

In New Jersey, enrollment in Medicaid managed care is voluntary for foster care children. 

There are five managed care organizations in New Jersey, two of which operate throughout all 

21 counties. Caregivers may choose one of these managed care organizations and pick a 

primary care physician for the child. The primary-care provider performs routine checkups, 

provides general care and refers to a specialist, if necessary. It appears very few foster 

children are enrolled in managed care in New Jersey. Foster children not in Medicaid managed 

care are covered by Medicaid fee-for-service. 

1342 CFR §441.50; 42 CFR §441.56 

14Summary Statistics: Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment Report, June 2000, 

http://www.hcfa.gov/medicaid/omchmpg.htm. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 10 OEI-02-00-00360 
Forty-one caregivers say their child is not in managed care. Of these, only three say that 

someone explained to them that their child could be enrolled in Medicaid managed care. 

According to the Division of Youth and Family Services and New Jersey Medicaid program 

staff, the Division does not actively encourage caregivers to enroll their foster children in 

managed care. Division staff feel that foster children would not benefit from managed care 

because they move often and would frequently have to change their primary care physician. 

Another reason given is that one home or facility may have children in different managed care 

organizations and would not be able to take all of the children in that placement to the same 

provider. 

We note that there is some confusion regarding managed care. The Division of Youth and 

Family Services tells us that one child in the sample was enrolled in managed care at the time of 

this study. New Jersey Medicaid program staff, however, report that none of the children in 

our sample was enrolled in managed care at the time of the study. Adding to the confusion, the 

caregivers for four children report that the children are in managed care, but the caseworkers 

for those four children say they are not. Caseworkers for two other children mention that the 

children are in managed care, but the caregivers say the children are not. Other caseworkers 

report that they simply do not know whether their foster child is in managed care or not. 

Most Caseworkers and Caregivers Do Not Have Complete Information 

About their Foster Child’s Medical History 

According to New Jersey state law, the Division of Youth and Family Services is responsible 

for establishing and maintaining a foster child’s health care record. The Division needs to 

update and provide this record to the foster parent. The Division must also share health care 

information about the child with the child’s parents and foster parents (Appendix B). 

Caseworkers for half the children in our sample say they either did not receive the child’s 

medical records or they received only partial records. For example, the child’s immunization 

history can be missing or outdated. Caregivers for 34 of the children in our sample report that 

they did not receive a medical history on their foster child or that they did receive some 

information, but that it was incomplete. We found that the caseworkers and caregivers are not 

always aware of certain health problems that their child may have because they do not have 

enough information about their child’s medical history. In only four of the 22 cases in our 

sample where the child is identified by their caregiver as having a chronic medical condition, 

does the caregiver mention that he or she learned of the condition from the medical history. It is 

important to note that the primary source for a foster child’s medical history is the biological 

parents, and they may not be available or cooperative. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 11 OEI-02-00-00360 
The consequences of not knowing a child’s medical background could be serious. Because 

information about the child’s medical background is limited or unavailable, a child could arrive 

at a placement with a medical problem that goes unnoticed. Food allergies could be missing 

from the background, as was the case for a foster mother we interviewed during our preinspection process. She says she discovered that her foster child, who is not in our sample, 

was allergic to peanuts only after the child had eaten some. 

Most Caseworkers and Caregivers Report Difficulty Finding Medicaid 

Providers 

Most caseworkers report that finding providers is a problem. They cite the distant location of 

dentists and mental health professionals as barriers to getting care. Caregivers, too, report 

difficulty finding providers. Almost half of the caregivers say that the lack of Medicaid 

providers is a problem for foster children. Among the caregivers, residential facilities, more 

often than foster parents, complain about a lack of Medicaid providers, despite the connections 

that facilities have with health care providers. Half of the facilities cite problems with finding a 

provider, while 18 percent of foster parents cite problems. Caregivers also mention trouble 

either finding a dentist or making a timely appointment. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 12 OEI-02-00-00360 
CONCLUSION 

This inspection identifies several shortcomings in New Jersey’s child welfare and Medicaid 

systems that cause concern. We documented that, although all the children in our sample are 

covered by Medicaid, less than half have Medicaid claims and less than a quarter show EPSDT 

claims for preventive health care. Caseworkers and caregivers are not informed about the 

Medicaid system. They also do not have complete medical information about the children, 

perhaps compromising the children’s health care needs. The lack of training for both 

caseworkers and caregivers, the lack of effort to promote Medicaid managed care, despite 

caseworker and caregiver concerns about access to Medicaid providers, and the lack of 

communication and coordination between the Division of Youth and Family Services and New 

Jersey Medicaid reveal that New Jersey may not be making reasonable efforts to assure that 

foster care children are receiving appropriate and necessary health care. 

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RECOMMENDATIONS 

We believe that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), CMS, and the State of 

New Jersey need to address the shortcomings in New Jersey’s child welfare and Medicaid 

systems. Accordingly, to help ensure that all eligible foster care children receive their entitled 

health care services, we recommend that: 

• ACF work with New Jersey to provide more training to caseworkers and caregivers 

on the Medicaid program, EPSDT, and managed care to help them better negotiate 

these health care systems. Two possible vehicles through which ACF may bring about 

such a change are the Child and Family Service Reviews and the annual Joint Planning 

Process; and 

• ACF and CMS work with the State of New Jersey to address the concerns of 

caseworkers and caregivers regarding the lack of access to Medicaid providers. They 

should also work together to promote communication between New Jersey Medicaid 

and the Division of Youth and Family Services so that the Division and caseworkers 

have better information about the health care that foster children are receiving. 

COMMENTS 

We received comments from ACF, CMS, and the State of New Jersey. Both ACF and CMS 

agree with our recommendations. The ACF, through the Child and Family Services Plans, will 

address the need for New Jersey to provide training to caseworkers and caregivers to ensure a 

greater level of service for foster children from Medicaid providers. The Child and Family 

Services Review for New Jersey in 2004 will determine if the efforts to improve training have 

led to improved medical health outcomes for foster children. 

The CMS agrees that New Jersey Medicaid should work with the Division of Youth and 

Family Services to provide information on the availability of Medicaid providers. The CMS 

offers to provide technical assistance to the state to promote this process. 

Both ACF and CMS made a number of technical comments that we incorporated into the 

inspection report, when appropriate. The full text of the comments received from ACF and 

CMS are included in Appendix D. 

The State of New Jersey indicated that, subsequent to our field work, several projects intended 

to impact the health care needs of foster children were initiated. The full text of those 

comments can also be found in Appendix D. 

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It is noteworthy that the State of New Jersey reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit 

regarding their foster care system. The Settlement Agreement establishes an oversight panel, 6 

areas for emergency action, and 11 outcome measures for children in the foster care system. 

With the increased oversight and funding and an outcome measure focused on service needs, 

we are optimistic that concerns raised in this report will be addressed. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 15 OEI-02-00-00360 
APPENDIX A 

New Jersey Foster Care 

The New Jersey Department of Human Services is responsible for all the children in foster care 

within the state. Within the Department, the Division of Youth and Family Services handles the 

state’s family and child welfare services. The Division has over 3,000 employees whose tasks 

include investigating reports of abuse and neglect, providing protective and foster care services, 

licensing families and facilities that care for children, and supervising public/private contracts.15 

Within this Division is the Child Health Unit, which focuses on the health of foster children. The 

responsibilities of the Child Health Unit range from reviewing relevant agency policies and 

procedures to providing consultative services to caseworkers. 

The Division of Youth and Family Services employs 28 pediatric nurses throughout the state, 

located in district offices and adoption resource centers. Their job is to provide direct services 

for caseworkers, caregivers, and community agencies, such as performing assessments of 

children, training and answering health-related questions. According to a recent study, child 

health nurses completed 346 pre-placement assessments and provided over 1,000 training 

sessions to caregivers, Division staff, and community agencies.16 The Child Health Program 

Planner, located in the Division’s central office, serves as a liaison between the Division and the 

Child Health Program, taking on initiatives such as increasing health assessments for children 

entering foster care in certain district offices.17 

The Division cites its involvement with several programs addressing the health care needs of 

foster children. These programs include case management, placement, and many other services 

for medically fragile children. The Division also lists several services, such as assessment, for 

child abuse and neglect cases. In addition, the State of New Jersey is currently piloting a new 

project in select counties called “Children’s System of Care Initiative.” Its goal is to help 

children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disturbances and their families across 

child-serving systems.18 

15http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dhsabout.html, June 28, 2002. 

16Ryan, Constance M. and Storm, Deborah., Child Health Program Year One Evaluation, New Jersey. 

Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, January 2002. 

17Ibid., p11. 

18http://www.njkidsoc.org, June 28, 2002. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 16 OEI-02-00-00360 
APPENDIX B 

New Jersey State Laws and Regulations 

Medicaid Eligibility 

The New Jersey Administrative Code provides that persons eligible under the New Jersey 

Medicaid program include: "Persons for whom adoption assistance agreements are in effect 

pursuant to Section 473 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673) or for whom foster or 

adoption assistance is paid under Title IV-E of the Act." N.J.A.C. 10:49-2.2(b)8. 

The regulations do not explicitly address foster children not eligible under Title IV-E of the 

Social Security Act. However, it appears that any child in foster care in New Jersey is eligible 

for Medicaid. Under New Jersey law: 

"an individual under 21 years old who, without regard to resources, would be except 

for dependent child requirements, eligible for the aid to families with dependent children 

program under the State Plan for Title IV-A of the Federal Social Security Act as of 

July 16, 1996, or groups of such individuals, including but not limited to, children in 

foster placement under supervision of the Division of Youth and Family Services whose 

maintenance is being paid in whole or in part from public funds, children placed in foster 

home or institution by a private adoption agency in New Jersey or children in 

intermediate care facilities, including developmental centers for the developmentally 

disabled or in psychiatric hospitals." N.J. ST 30-40-3(6). 

The official state web site for the New Jersey foster care program also states that the costs of 

health care for "foster children are covered by Medicaid, which covers all necessary care and 

treatment." See www.njfostercare.org/faq.html 

State’s Responsibilities for the Health of Children in Foster Care 

The New Jersey Administrative Code at 10:122D-2.5, et. seq. delineates basic health care 

services for children in foster care as follows: 

“(a) The Division shall make every reasonable effort to assure that each child in foster home 

placement receives appropriate and necessary health care, including mental health services. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 17 OEI-02-00-00360 
APPENDIX B 

(b) For each child initially entering foster home placement, the Division shall obtain a medical 

examination at the time of placement. The Division shall establish a health care record for each 

child and shall provide the foster parent with a health care record which documents health 

information concerning the foster child, including, but not limited to: 

1. The names and addresses of the foster child’s health care providers; 

2. A record of the foster child’s immunizations; 

3. The foster child’s known medical problems, if any; 

4. The foster child’s medications, if any; and 

5. The foster child’s allergies, if any. 

(c) The Division shall maintain a health care record for each child. The Division shall review 

and update the foster child’s health record at the time of each placement into a foster home and 

shall provide the updated record to the foster parent. 

(d) The Division shall assure that the foster child receives a medical and dental examination at 

least annually after the initial medical examination performed at the time of placement. The type 

and frequency of the exam shall be based on the foster child's age and medical needs. 

(e) The foster parent shall be responsible for arranging and providing care to meet the foster 

child’s health needs, including, but not limited to, medical and dental examinations as agreed to 

with the Division, and shall provide the Division with information concerning the foster child’s 

health care and needs. 

(f) The Division shall share health care information concerning the foster care child with the 

foster child's parents and foster parents.” 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 18 OEI-02-00-00360 
APPENDIX C 

New Jersey EPSDT Schedule 

The EPSDT recommended health checkup schedule for children is an initial exam at birth 

followed by one well-child exam: 

Age 6 weeks to 3 months 

3 months to 5 months 

5 months to 11 months 

11 months to 14 months 

14 months to 17 months 

17 months to 20 months 

between 20 and 24 months 

After 2 years of age, the child should be examined once a year through the age of 20. 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 19 OEI-02-00-00360 
APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 

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APPENDIX D 
APPENDIX D 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 31 OEI-02-00-00360 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This report was prepared under the direction of John I. Molnar, Regional Inspector General for 

Evaluation and Inspections in New York and Jodi Nudelman, Assistant Regional Inspector 

General. Other principal Office of Evaluation and Inspections staff who contributed include: 

Nancy Harrison, Project Leader Linda Hall, Program Specialist 

Natasha Besch, Lead Analyst Barbara Tedesco, Statistician 

Nicole Gillette, Program Analyst 

Laura Torres, Program Analyst 

Foster Care Children’s Use of Medicaid Services in NJ 32 OEI-02-00-00360