The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides access to insurance coverage for health care for many children, youth, and families, including those at risk for involvement with child welfare and those who come in contact with the child welfare system. Child welfare agencies can play a critical role in implementing ACA provisions and supporting caregivers (including birth parents, foster parents, relative guardians, and adoptive parents) in enrollment processes to obtain health insurance. Having health insurance can improve access to essential physical, mental health, and substance use services and contribute to improvements in permanency and well-being outcomes.

Child welfare agencies can support enrollment, promote awareness, and learn more about health-care coverage for children, youth, and families.

Support Enrollment

• Share tip sheets with child welfare agency staff to help them link parents, caregivers, children, and youth to health insurance.
  • Health Insurance Enrollment
  • Health Insurance Options
• Guide individuals and families through the ACA enrollment process on HealthCare.gov
• Make referrals to and partner with your State's Medicaid Office

The following resources provide information about health-care coverage for children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system and youth who have transitioned out of foster care.

ACYF-CB-IM-15-08: Linking Health Care to Children, Youth, and Families Who Come in Contact With the Child Welfare System
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families

About the Law
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Health-Care Coverage for Youth in Foster Care—and After
Child Welfare Information Gateway

Health Coverage for Homeless and At-Risk Youth (PDF - 264 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Health Insurance: Medicaid, CHIP, and the Affordable Care Act
Child Welfare Information Gateway

What's New in Laws & Policies
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau