Legal Authority/Introduction

LEGAL AUTHORITY:

• KRS 605.110 Smoking cessation services, medical services and educational programs for committed children-Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children-Personnel-Financing

Procedure

The SSW:

1. Ensures that the youth receives a physical examination, following the guidelines in Chapter 4.26 Meeting Basic Health Care Needs for confirmation of pregnancy and to determine when the  baby is due to be born when pregnancy of a committed youth is suspected;
2. Refers the youth for medically complex designation at any time during the pregnancy, if it is determined that the pregnancy is high risk or that the fetus has medical complications;
3. For a pregnant youth, ensures that the youth is assessed if substance use/abuse is suspected;
4. Ensures that the pregnant youth completes an online Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment to determine areas in which the youth has strengths and/or needs assistance for:
1. Independent living by selecting the age appropriate assessments; and
2. Pregnancy and delivery by selecting the Casey Inventory for Pregnant Teens (see Related Information for appropriate websites);
5. Ensures that the pregnant youth:
1. Attends all prenatal appointments; 
2. Enrolls and attends all prenatal Lamaze classes when recommended by the medical provider; 
3. Enrolls and participates in the HANDS program offered through the local health department;
4. Receives mental health services, if needed;
6. Convenes a family team meeting following the guidelines in SOP 1.7 Family Team Meetings  and includes participants including, but not limited to:
1. The pregnant youth;
2. The youth’s birth parents if no TPR;
3. Suspected or confirmed birth father;
4. Foster parents or private child care (PCC) worker;
5. Regional Independent Living Coordinator;
6. HANDS (health department) worker; and
7. Mental health therapist, if applicable;
7. Facilitates topics in the case plan meeting such as:
1. Placement status and/or placement change to a:
1. Foster home;
2. Residential facility; or
3. Transitional living placement;
2. Information on making an informed decision about parenting, adoption or abortion;
3. The youth’s educational progress, including options such as special educational services and/or tutoring if needed; and
4. Referrals for services such as:
1. Life skills classes, if not already completed;
2. Parenting classes;
3. Kentucky Organization for Foster Youth (KOFFY) meetings, if age 15 through age 18 and not yet in college;
4. Kentucky Youth Connects (KYNEX) meetings, if age 18 or older and attending college; and
5. Mentoring, if not already participating;
8. Once the baby is born, the SSW:
1. Ensures that the youth:
1. Attends all post-natal checkups as scheduled; and
2. Attends all well-baby checkups as scheduled;
2. Requests paternity testing;
3. Assists the youth with the following referrals:
1. WIC program through the local health department;
2. Family Support for needed services;
3. Daycare assistance when the youth is ready to return to school and/or work; and
4. First Steps, as needed.