Many children in the nation’s foster care system — nearly one in three — use behavioral health services. This population represents only three percent of all children in Medicaid, but 15 percent of those using behavioral health services and 29 percent of Medicaid expenditures for children’s behavioral health services.
This infographic from the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) compares behavioral health care use and expense for Medicaid-enrolled children in general vs. those in foster care. The graphic is a companion to a CHCS fact sheet that details behavioral health care use and expense for this high-need population. Both resources are based on CHCS’ national analysis of children’s behavioral health care use in Medicaid.