Ky.gov
Effective: 10/15/2024

G1.29 Medical Support Section

Legal Authority

Introduction

​​​The Medical Support Section consists of physical and mental health professionals who provide consultation to assist regional staff in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults as well as assisting families.

Practice Guidance

  • ​​The Medical Support Section may: 
  • Consult with staff who are conducting investigations and medical indicators are present (i.e. bruising, broken bones, head injuries, Munchausen’s by Proxy, burns, institutional abuse or neglect, emotional abuse, and child fatalities); 
  • Provide expertise in consultation and coordination with other public and private medical and mental health providers regarding needed information for open investigations. This includes meeting with tertiary care hospital child abuse teams (UK and UL) and the child advocacy centers to ensure the exchange of information and expertise between medical providers and the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS); 
  • Provide medical consultation for guardianship and general adult services cases, as well as appropriate placement of adults; 
  • Assist and coordinate referrals for sexual abuse examinations conducted by the Kentucky network of child advocacy centers (CAC); 
  • Provide protocols and consultation regarding specific high-risk health situations, such as the increasing exposure of children and adults during the process of illegal methamphetamine production; 
  • Provide consultation, training, and advocacy regarding access to screening and comprehensive medical exams for children who are taken into custody; 
  • Provide consultation to staff when granting medical permission for children in out-of-home care who require medical procedures. This includes consulting regarding consent for psychotropic medication administration and policy regarding HIV testing; 
  • Assist and consult regarding the care of identified medical problems that require specialized care (i.e. assistance in obtaining subspecialty care and durable medical equipment). This can include advice on utilizing the most appropriate and cost-effective services; 
  • Consult regarding children in psychiatric or residential treatment settings that may involve facility reviews in collaboration with the Children’s Review Program (CRP); 
  • Work with staff and nurses from the Commission for Children With Special Health Care Needs (CCSHN) to ensure access to local CCSHN consultation and services; 
  • Provide referral information for the University of Kentucky Comprehensive Assessment and Training Services Project (CATS Project); 
  • Participate in the development and training regarding the medical passport; 
  • Consult regarding the medical and mental health needs of children who are in state-contracted private child care (PCC) settings; 
  • Consult regarding the approval of foster and adoptive families when medical or mental health issues regarding caregivers are discovered; and 
  • Provide contract monitoring support for contracts involving the purchase of medical and mental health services. 
For children in OOHC with special health care needs, the Medical Support Section may: 
  • Determine eligibility for the designation of medically fragile; 
  • Visit medically fragile children to assist local staff in ensuring that medical needs are being met;
  • Participate in the initial development and subsequent quarterly reviews of each medically fragile child’s individual health plan; 
  • Provide support and training for medically fragile liaisons; 
  • Participate in training for caregivers of medically fragile children; and 
  • Participate in the approval process when local providers request “Do Not Resuscitate Orders” for gravely ill children when parental rights are terminated.​

Procedure

The SSW:

Contacts the Medical Support Section at (502)564-6852 during normal business hours to request a consultation.

Documents

Revisions