October 2014Vol. 15, No. 9Infographic: Behavioral Health Care Use in Medicaid
The Center for Health Care Strategies has released a new infographic depicting the contrast between behavioral health care provided to children in foster care and that which is provided to the general Medicaid child population. Statistics presented on the infographic include:
- The rate of Medicaid-enrolled children in foster care receiving behavioral health services is one out of three, compared to one out of 15 children in the general Medicaid child population.
- The average expenses for behavioral health services provided to a child in the general Medicaid population total $4,868, compared to $8,094 for a child in foster care and enrolled in Medicaid.
- Thirty-three percent of Medicaid-enrolled children in the general population are prescribed psychotropic drugs, compared to 50 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children in foster care.
The infographic also notes that Medicaid is the primary source of health-care coverage for children in foster care and that many of these children have experienced trauma or neglect, which increases their risk for developing behavioral health conditions.
Children in Foster Care: Behavioral Health Care Use in Medicaid is available here:
http://www.chcs.org/media/Children-in-Foster-Care-Behavioral-Health-Care-Use-in-Medicaid5.jpg
