Coordinated Care Expands Foster Care Centers of Excellence Across Washington
Date: 05/05/25
TACOMA, Wash. (May 5, 2025) – In recognition of National Foster Care Awareness month, Coordinated Care, a Washington managed care organization (MCO), and wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), is announcing the expansion of their Foster Care Centers of Excellence (FCCOE) program. With multiple new FCCOE rolling out this year, there are now eight medical centers across Washington—one in every region—meeting more than 50 criteria for providing a high standard of care and access to resources for child welfare-involved families. Those who have earned the FCCOE designation are already showing significant, measurable improvements. Compared to other healthcare facilities, FCCOEs have an average of 25.4% higher rate of well-child visits across all age ranges, a 14% higher rate of immunization, and less interactions with the crisis system.
"As a pediatric emergency medicine physician, I have seen kids who have experienced trauma firsthand, and know their needs require an understanding of how to treat immediate issues, the whole person—mind and body—and promote recovery," said Dr. Usha Sankrithi, Chief Medical Officer & Chief Health Equity Officer at Coordinated Care. "This designation is designed to help our provider partners to build even more expertise and find ways to apply trauma-informed practices into healthcare delivery."
FCCOEs are trained in trauma-informed care, health equity, and understand the complexities and nuances of families involved in child welfare. They also provide smooth medical home transitions for youth who move placements, timely appointments when entering care and connect families to services they need. Coordinated Care launched its first FCCOE in 2020, and with the addition of three more this year, FCCOEs are now in all six Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) regions across the state. As the only MCO in Washington serving the Apple Health Foster Care population with their Apple Health Core Connections program, Coordinated Care knows the importance of having consistent providers who are experts at serving youth and families who have been through stressful and traumatic circumstances, with holistic care.
"Being able to find professionals that have trauma minimizing or trauma informed care available for our kids is very difficult. We have been lucky to be in partnership with Coordinated Care from the inception of our clinic," said Desiree White, Program Director at Community Health Care Foster Adoption Clinic in Tacoma. "It has been a real gift to have passionate experts in their field be able to come alongside us and to give us criteria to help us become the experts in our field."
Youth impacted by foster care often experience inconsistent healthcare access, resulting in missed well-child visits, delayed immunizations, and a lack of preventive care. These gaps in care can contribute to long-term health disparities. Those who have earned the FCCOE designation are addressing these gaps and showing results such as better health outcomes, higher rates of immunization and less interaction with the crisis system compared to non-FCCOEs.
"The Department is excited to have a Foster Care Center of Excellence in every DCYF Region that is committed to serving our children, youth, and families from a trauma informed lens," said Brittany Lenihan, Statewide Foster Care Health Program Manager, DCYF. "The FCCOE commitment to the health and well-being of DCYF involved families has already made a measurable impact to the communities they serve. The Department is eager to see the continued positive impact that the FCCOEs have on reducing health disparities and increasing equitable access for those who need it."
Coordinated Care established the Apple Health Core Connections program in 2016 as the single health plan for youth in foster care, youth who have been adopted from foster care or placed in a guardianship, young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, and Unaccompanied Refugee Minors. Coordinated Care’s team of highly specialized care coordinators, care managers, health liaisons, and community educators are committed to ensuring that each member receives high-quality physical and behavioral healthcare, as well as access to resources that support their healing, wellbeing, and journey into adulthood.
Learn more about Coordinated Care’s Foster Care
Centers of Excellence : www.CoordinatedCareHealth.com/fccoe
About Coordinated Care
Coordinated Care provides free and low-cost health insurance coverage to more than 300,000 Medicaid, foster care, Medicare and marketplace members across Washington, with more than 47,000 providers in-network. Coordinated Care is committed to transforming the health of the community one person at a time. They treat the whole person by breaking down barriers to accessing care, walking members through their benefits, and connecting them to the care they need. Coordinated Care is a Washington managed care organization and wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives.
To learn more about our efforts to strengthen Washington’s healthcare system, visit www.CoordinatedCareHealth.com/WA-first.