A few weeks ago, we looked at how trauma can impact one’s physical health in the “Impact of Trauma on Physical Health” blog. Today, we will look further into the work that Benchmarks is doing to support multidisciplinary collaboration in order to improve the physical health outcomes for children across the state. Benchmarks develops and implements specific pilot projects across various catchment areas in North Carolina. These pilot projects are designed to encourage multidisciplinary collaboration through the development of partnerships amongst the human service providers in order for children and families to reach their full potential and live healthy lives.
One of the most prominent strategies that Benchmarks utilizes to support this cross-system communication within pilot projects is the use of the Benchmarks’ Trauma-Intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (TiCCA). The TiCCA is an evidence-informed assessment that evaluates the multiple domains of a child and family system. The TiCCA assesses a child’s involvement with Department of Social Services (DSS), safety concerns, secondary adversities to trauma exposure, biopsychosocial history, educational history, developmental history, and medical and behavioral health involvement. The assessing clinician identifies the strengths and challenges for the child and family related to each specific well-being domain. There are areas of the TiCCA that assess specifically for possible physical health concerns. The TiCCA inquires about the child’s physical health, biological routines, dental history, nutritional status and changes in weight or appetite. There is a Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale for the assessing clinician to ask about any pain the child may be experiencing. It is imperative for these areas of physical health to be included in the assessment process for a child who has a history of trauma exposure. Children and adolescents can present with various psychosomatic symptoms that manifest into physical health complaints and concerns if they go unnoticed or untreated.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Dental Association (ADA) have specific care parameters and recommendations for children who engage in the foster care system. TiCCA clinicians are encouraged to keep these recommendations at the forefront of their minds as they assess each child, in order to advise of appropriate physical and dental health courses of action. One way that TiCCA clinicians ensure that this information is gathered during assessment is through collateral contacts. The child’s medical and dental providers are contacted during the assessment process to gather information about past or present concerns. This provides an opportunity for clinicians to make holistic recommendations that include further assessment or involvement with dental and medical practitioners to support the child’s physical health outcomes. These recommendations can help all the agencies serving the child and family to determine which symptoms are driven by the child’s physical issues, and which may be driven by mental health factors. Once these are identified, the multidisciplinary team can help child/family determine further course of action in both the physical and psychological realms to foster overall health improvements.
For more information about the AAP’s recommendations for children in foster care, please visit https://www.aap.org/en/patient...dren-in-foster-care/.
If you are interested in the study regarding foster care youth’s dental needs that please visit:
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