[DianeScraps]

Anyone have any info on the laws on this ?

If there are any on the state level that are appropriate then PA is the state.

The county workers are trying to withhold info under HIPPA, but birthmother has signed off for us to have the info.

Thanks

Diane

[leaabc123]

Typically, we sign a confidentiality agreement and I think we have access to all health info. Especially, since we take them to the doctor and fill prescriptions, and are responsible for everyday care. trying to withhold something could be detrimental to the child's health.

prior to placing a child, they can not reveal certain things, like HIV status, but I have been told that if we took a certain child, then certain protections need to be in place.

[TexasJingles]

We weren't told very much on our 3. Even at the dr's office, if I don't ask or they don't tell me then and there, I'm not allowed to know. The kids all had vision and hearing checks at their adoption physicals. They told me about the boys vision (one needs to be further evaluated) and that was it! I have no idea about my daughter's vision nor about any of their hearing tests.

Now that I have all their files, I still don't know all that much! I scoured the files and found out that the 2 younger ones had chicken pox...only because it prevented them from coming to a visit.

I would love to know how the kids are doing in therapy, not what they're talking about, but if the therapist feels they are making any progress at all. Nope! Not allowed. Oh, this will change in 2+ weeks when they are adopted, or I will find someone willing to work as a team.

A number of us have complained around here about the lack of info to help us raise these kids...no matter if it's a few days or the rest of their lives, we need to know so we can help.

Hope you find a way to get some info. It's hard.

[GeorgiaGal]

I understand their hesitation with sharing too much information... but I've also seen this backfire in many ways. I've known of foster kids that weren't placed into the correct homes because complete information wasn't given to the foster family and they weren't prepared for the child's issues. I personally went through 5 months this year documenting things and trends with my fd that it ends up had been previously documented and no one wanted to confirm what I was suspecting because of the confidentiality issues. This in itself causes more harm to the child because treatment was delayed because of this - ugh.

[cb131]

we are in a situation now with the new born R.Mom has a serious health problem that my pediatrition has just told me about because the baby must be tested for the problem.Thank goodness she was able to talk to all the Drs involved with the birth & preg.because this could have blindsided us a year or 2 down the road.Now I do not know if I am allowed to tell my cw about the problem.I am sure no one else on the childrens side knows.