Q&A
Discussion on delays in providing medical insurance for foster children
2:22:56
ยท
134 sec
Council Member Stevens inquires about the five-month delay in providing medical insurance for foster children, as mentioned in Mr. Castro's testimony. The discussion reveals significant administrative issues within the foster care system.
- Foster parents experienced a five-month delay in receiving medical insurance cards for their foster children
- The delay caused difficulties in accessing necessary medical services, including COVID tests
- Communication problems between agencies and foster parents were highlighted
Althea Stevens
2:22:56
But I did wanna turn my quest I had a few questions for for all the parents on on the panel today and and just talking about some of the, I guess, disconnects that I've kind of kept mentioning through the hearing around, like, what's happening at the top and the vision and how it's not necessarily being trickled down.
2:23:18
You know, I'm really sorry to hear that one that, you know, you guys are still fighting to get the children back.
2:23:25
All of you are fighting to get children back.
2:23:27
And and one, I wanna say thank you because it is important that we have people continuously fighting for our young people.
2:23:34
I'm a fighter as well for our young people, and so it's always really good to see people who are saying, no.
2:23:39
We want to do right and do do good by the young people.
2:23:42
But I had a question because in the testimony, mister Castro, that you provided, you said that you try that the agency had you wait five months to get, I guess, the medical or insurance cards because you were trying to provide services.
2:23:59
Is that because I I that sounds a bit strange.
2:24:02
Why weren't why wasn't that given to you when you got the children?
2:24:06
Why would you have to wait five months?
2:24:08
Did they give you a reason for this?
Fernando Canteli de Castro
2:24:10
So the system is so messy that when the kids were removed from their parents, they didn't have our phone number correct.
2:24:16
So the kids stay for in a shelter for a whole weekend.
2:24:19
And they called us on a Monday and say, how are the kids?
2:24:20
And we're like, what kids?
2:24:22
We we don't have them at home.
2:24:23
So it took them five months to provide Medicaid health care insurances and each one was different and complicated.
2:24:30
But at the same time, the agency lost the only doctor they had.
2:24:33
So they didn't have medical service in the agency and they didn't have health care insurance cards.
2:24:37
We had a letter that said that all the costs could be covered by whatever, but we couldn't get COVID tests for the kids because we didn't have insurance.
2:24:46
So we had to pay them out of pocket.
2:24:49
And and well and when the kids were moved, they didn't give them the insurance.
2:24:55
So the new foster mom texted me to ask me for the insurance card because the agency was not giving it to them.
Althea Stevens
2:25:01
So you so you had the insurance card or the agency had it, but they just didn't communicate that?
Fernando Canteli de Castro
2:25:05
Yeah.
2:25:05
So I had to send it myself to the to the new foster parents.
2:25:08
After weeks.
2:25:09
After weeks?