Frequently Asked Questions

Foster parents are part of a team! You will work with the child's assigned DCS Specialist and your agency Licensing Worker consistently. Some other members of the team may include: Behavioral Health Case Managers, a CASA, a GAL/attorney, case/parent aides, and others. Each child's case is different and will have different team members.

Licensed foster parents should notify DCS and their licensing agency within 24 hours if their child has an illness, injury, change of medication, or medication error that results in seeking medical attention.

Licensed foster parents should notify DCS and their licensing agency immediately if their child dies, has a serious illness or injury requiring hospitalization, or receives urgent care or emergency room treatment and whenever emergency services (911) is contacted. Within 24 hours of any of the above noted incidents, licensed foster parents shall complete an Unusual Incident Report form and submit it to their licensing agency.

Unlicensed kinship foster parents are to notify DCS within 2 hours of the following the death of a child or hospitalization (medical or psychiatric). Unlicensed kinship foster parents are to notify DCS within 48 hours if the child becomes seriously ill.

All prescriptions must be filled at a pharmacy in Mercy Care DCS CHP’s network. If you need pharmacy services after hours, on weekends or holidays, many pharmacies are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. You can find a list of pharmacies in the Mercy Care DCS CHP Provider Directory. Visit www.MercyCareAZ.org and select “For Members” under Mercy Care DCS CHP. You’ll locate “Find a Pharmacy” in the upper right corner of the screen.

Prescription medications and some over-the-counter medications are covered by Mercy Care DCS CHP. If the child needs medicine, the child’s health care provider will choose one from Mercy Care DCS CHP’s list of covered medications (called a formulary) and write a prescription. If you want a copy of the list, call Mercy Care DCS CHP Member Services or go to the website at www.MercyCareAZ.org. If you are at a pharmacy and the pharmacy tells you that Mercy Care DCS CHP will not pay for the medication, call Mercy Care DCS CHP Member Services right away. Do not pay out of your own pocket for the medicine. If you have questions or problems outside Mercy Care business hours, you can call the Mercy Care 24-hour nurse line at 602-212-4983 or 1-833-711-0776 (TTY/TDD 711).

The Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) maintains an electronic registry of immunizations, and Arizona providers are mandated by law to report all immunizations of children ages birth through 18 in Arizona.

To get a copy of a child's immunization records, fill out the ADHS Immunization Record Request Form, and fax (602-364-3285) or email [email protected] the form along with a copy of the Notice to Provider, a copy of your driver's license, and instructions for where the records should be faxed, emailed, or mailed back to you.

You can also pick up a copy of a child's immunization records in person at the Arizona Department of Health Services, Immunization Program Office at 150 N. 18th Avenue, Suite 120 Phoenix, AZ 85007 by bringing the notice to provider and a valid ID.

Your DCS case manager or DDD support coordinator can also assist in obtaining the child's immunization records.

Download a copy of the ADHS Immunization Record Reqeuest Form here.