Turquoise Care for Children in State Custody / Foster Care
Presbyterian Turquoise Care is the managed care organization supporting most of New Mexico’s children in state custody (CISC) and foster care. This means that when a child is under the legal care of the state, they will automatically join our health plan and have full Medicaid coverage.
Presbyterian Turquoise Care is determined to support all children in state care, along with their biological and resource families, commonly known as foster parents and the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD).
Care Coordination for Children in State Custody / Foster Care
All children in state care have a Presbyterian care coordinator. The care coordinator helps make sure the child is getting the care they need by working closely with birth parents and resource/foster families. This includes coordinating doctor visits, therapy, counseling and help with substance use. Our team will regularly check each child's status and help them feel safe and stable.
What does a care coordinator do?
Care coordinators support birth and resource/foster families to keep each child healthy and connected to care. Your assigned care coordinator can help you with:
Getting a primary care provider (PCP)
Making a well-child visit with the child’s PCP within 30 days of placement
Ongoing check-ins and assessments to see if more services and supports are needed
Help with coordinating trauma care, behavior management, and special education services
How do I know who my care coordinator is?
Resource/foster families have a care coordinator assigned to them automatically. The care coordinator will contact them directly. You can also call our customer service team for CISC at (505) 923-8417, TTY 711 to meet your care coordinator.
Well-Child Visits for Children in State Custody / Foster Care
What is a well-child visit?
Well-child visits are a great time to talk to a healthcare provider about a child's growth and health. During the visit, the provider will:
Check growth and development
Complete a physical exam
Update vaccines
Screen for vision, hearing, dental and behavioral health needs.
The provider will also talk with the caregiver to offer support and resources.
When does a well-child visit for children in state custody / foster care need to happen?
Children must have a well-child visit within 30 days of entering the state care. Important: Even if the child had a well-child visit in the last year, they will need to complete another one when entering the program.
After the first visit, well-child visits should happen on this schedule:
1st year: newborn, 2-4 weeks, two months, four months, six months, nine months
2nd year: 12 months, 15 months, 18 months
3rd year: 24 months, 30 months (2-1/2 years)
Then every year starting at their third birthday through age 21
Your assigned care coordinator can help you make the appointment, or you can call (505) 923-8417, TTY 711 for help.
Additional Resources
For more information, you can access the full Family Navigation guide.
Becoming a Resource / Foster Parent
We support our partners at CYFD and their mission in meeting the safety and permanent needs of New Mexican children. There are many ways to support such as becoming a foster/resource parent, providing respite care, providing relative care, and more.
Learn more about becoming a foster parent
Such services are funded in part with the State of New Mexico.