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Ventura County Launches Breakthrough Program for Foster-Care Management

Nov 23, 2015
Network of Care

Ventura County, Calif., just launched a new and highly innovative care-management program for foster-care children that centers on creative use of the Internet.

The Network of Care for Foster Care, developed in partnership with the Network of Care project of Trilogy Integrated Resources, has two main components.

First, a public-facing Network of Care Web portal consolidates all public and private services in the county into an easy-to-use search engine. It then provides key information to the foster child and his foster family, such as programs and services for foster parenting, transition-age youth, ADHD, adoption services, weight/fitness, diabetes management and more. The Library features a huge array of state-of-the-art articles on child care, behavioral health, parenting, school readiness, wellness and much more.

Second, and most important, is the Foster Health Link – a Personal Health Record provided for each foster child in Ventura County. Here, Ventura County officials and the Network of Care team created a way to store all important personal information for an individual child in a fully secure record that the county can choose to share with a caregiver, foster parent or other county personnel. The result is a virtual way to share critical information among all those involved with the care of a foster child.

Because this record is within a fully secure online environment, with access controlled by the county, the Foster Health Link can serve as a virtual-care management tool that transcends both agency boundaries and geography.

“The ability to bring diverse information systems together into one simple and easy tool is wonderful and so beneficial to foster parents and, ultimately, for the care of foster children,” said Barry Zimmerman, director of the Ventura County Human Services Agency. “Additionally, to equip the tool with a knowledge bank and Service Directory through the Network of Care enriches the tool beyond making it meaningful and practical. Trilogy masterfully took our vision and made it a reality!”

The Network of Care for Foster Care can be replicated to any jurisdiction in the country. If you have any questions or would like a more in-depth demonstration of how the Network of Care works, please contact Bruce Bronzan at Bruce@trilogyir.com or (415) 458-5900.