Medical Care, Appointments & Supports

Websites & Local Supports

• Adoption Medicine Clinic - Minnesota-based; worldwide consultations
• Autism Society of Oregon - Resources for Obtaining Diagnoses & Therapy Providers
• CaCoon (CAreCOOrdinatioN) - public health home nursing
• Center for Adoption Medicine - Seattle-based
• Every Step - community of clinics supporting foster & adoptive youth
• FACT Oregon - IEP Resources & one page profiles
• Health Care Standards for Kids in Foster Care & Addressing Barriers by AAP
• Hero Kids Registry - emergency medicine registry automatically sent to first responders
• Medicine Safe Storage - OHSU Poison Help program information
• ODHS
  • Applying for Former Foster Care Youth Medical Program Coverage
  • Health Assessment Information
  • Medication 101
  • Medication Log
  • Oregon Health Plan Overview
• Oregon Family to Family - helping families of children & youth with special health care needs
• Oregon Health Plan
  • New Coverage Information
  • Quick Start Guide
• ORPARC’s Find A Therapist Resources
• Swindell’s Resource Center - supporting caregivers of children with special health, behavioral or developmental needs
  • Care Notebook - compile medical information on any child
  • Library

For Youth

• Doctor Visits + Health Resources & en español by Sesame Street
• Health Care for Former Foster Youth by FosterClub
• Talking to your doctor for 11-18yos by Mind

Recommended Books & Articles

Medical-related materials in ORPARC's library, including our Navigating Medical Systems packet & en español plus our Bailey the Bold: Social Stories collection & en español

• 6 Helpful Medical Care Resources for Pre & Post Adoption by Show Hope
• 8 Steps to get Your Child Ready for a Medical Procedure by UK Healthcare
• Adoption medicine clinics help parents cope with complex needs by Beth Howard
• Caring for Traumatized Children by Seattle Childrens
• Comprehensive Health Care for Children in Foster Care by Health Care Toolbox
• Comprehensive Health Evaluation of the Newly Adopted Child by AAP
• Developmental Issues for Young Children in Foster Care by AAP
• Doctor's Visits by Foster Talk
• A Guide to Medical Play by American Childhood Cancer Association
• Family History “Unknown”: Understanding Adopted Individuals’ Needs in the Healthcare Environment by J. Small & R. Gruneisen, adoptees & E. Schulte, adoptive parent
• Finding Your Adoption Medical History by American Adoptions
• Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event by Child Mind Institute & en español
• How Adoptees Are Filling in the Holes in Their Medical History by Oliva Campbell
• How to Prepare Your Teen to Manage Their Own Care by CHOC
• Medical Issues in Adopted Children by Dr. Elaine Schulte, adoptive parent
• Medical Trauma Fact Sheets & Supports by National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• Preparing Children for Medical Appointments by UCLA Health
• Supporting Your Child Through Medical Trauma by Any Baby Can
• Teaching Doctors Patient Care by Dr. Alexándrea Evans Oneal, adoptee
• What It’s Like to Fill in the Gaps in Your Health History When You’re Adopted by Fiona Tapp, adoptee
• What Pediatric Health Providers Should Know About Adoption by Children's Bureau
• Why an Adoption-Aware Pediatrician Matters by Kristina Frazier, adoptive parent
• Your Health, Your Right; Why Adopted Children Should Have Access to Their Family Medical History by Madison Dietl, adoptee

Foster care specific

• Foster Parents Often Struggle To Find Doctors To Treat The Kids In Their Care by Phil Galewitz
• Foster Care: Parenting Children with Special Needs by Natalie Whitcomb
• Foster Youth are Traumatized Enough: Why Psych Meds Should be Better Regulated by Tisha Ortiz, fosteree
• Foster Youth with Special Health Care Needs Healthcare Transition Text Messages by Innovative Approaches Initiative
• Gaps: Foster Care has an Oral Health Problem by Foster Focus
• Piecing Together a Medical History When You Adopt a Foster Child by Deborah Borchers

Social stories for kids by Autism Little Learner

• Being in the Hospital
• Getting My Temperature Taken
• Going to the Doctor
• It's Time to get a Shot
• Losing a Tooth

For professionals

• Guidance for pediatricians on difficult foster care, adoption & kinship topics by Healthy Foster Care America
• Healthcare for Children & Adolescents in Foster Care & Kinship Care by AAP
• How Health Professionals Can Talk With Families About Race by Jacqueline Douge
• Key Ingredients for Successful Trauma Informed Care by Center for Health Care Strategies
• Needs of Kinship Care Families & Pediatric Practice by AAP
• Talking with family about adoption, foster care and kinship care at the pediatrician's office by Healthy Foster Care America

Culturally-specific

• Asian American Children's Health by A Child is a Child
• Confronting Racism in Pediatric Care by Benjamin Danielson
• Do Black Patients Fare Better with Black Doctors? by Patrick Boyle
• Health Disparities Among Hispanic Youth by InsureKidsNow
• How Tribal Placements Benefit Native Foster Children’s Health by AMA
• Family Spirit Leads with Culture by Center for Indigenous Health
• Native Health & Wellbeing - an ORPARC Resource page
• Pediatric care for non-white children is universally worse across U.S. by Kristin Samuelson

LGBTQ+-specific

• Barriers to Care by National LGBT Cancer Network
• Caring for LGBTQ Youth in Inclusive & Affirming Environments by Hadland et al
• OHP to Cover Gender Affirming Care by Oregon Health Authority
• Talking to Doctors & Medical Providers for Parents of Transgender Youth by HRC
• Transgender Health Program by OHSU
• Why safe spaces in health care matter for LGBTQ+ patients by Dr. Elizabeth Ghandakly

Videos & Podcasts

• Care Considerations for Adopted Children by Dr. Elaine Schulte, adoptive parent (video)
• Conversation with a Pediatrician: Physical Issues Common in Children in Foster Care by The Forgotten Initiative Podcast
• Navigating Disability & Rare Medical Conditions as an Intercountry Adoptee by Lynelle Long, adoptee (article + video)