ABSTRACT
The focus of this chapter is the interface of policies and service delivery systems as they affect the health and well-being of families and children connected to the child welfare system. Because of the complexity of these features, health care professionals face unique legal, institutional, and treatment barriers in the provision of and access to quality care for this population. Understanding these complexities and their impact upon the health and well-being of this population allows health care practitioners to anticipate difficulties, develop multiple intervention paths for care delivery, and navigate competing systems of care.
