Foot Soldiers for Foster Kids
On any given day in the U.S., there are nearly 438,000 children in foster care. In 2016, more than 687,000 children spent time in U.S. foster care.
Patti Patterson, M.D., professor of pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and the only board certified child abuse pediatrician in West Texas, has seen first hand what problems foster children endure.
“I had been practicing child abuse pediatrics for about five years and was becoming increasingly frustrated with being unable to address the ongoing problems these kids have,” Patterson said. “We know children who are maltreated in childhood have increased risks of heart disease, alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, suicidality, teen pregnancy — on and on. I searched the literature and talked to a lot of people. There are therapies that can help these kids change their trajectory for the rest of their lives. This wasn’t readily available here. We set out to make it available. The Foster Care Center of Excellence brings all the components together to help these kids and their families.”
Recently, Superior Healthplan presented the 2018 Foster Care Center of Excellence Award to TTUHSC physicians Patterson, Michal Pankratz, M.D., Todd Bell, M.D., and Rachel Anderson, M.D.
Pankratz is an assistant professor of pediatrics. Bell is an associate professor and regional chair for the Department of Pediatrics in Amarillo. He also serves as medical director for Infection Control and Prevention at Northwest Texas Health System and director for the West Texas Influenza Center. Anderson is an assistant professor of pediatrics in Amarillo.
The Foster Care Center of Excellence Award highlights the support provided by TTUHSC to children in foster care and their families. Superior Healthplan established the award to raise the overall level of care received by its members. The award means TTUHSC met more than 60 criteria, including program processes, quality improvement and staff requirements.
Brent Magers, CEO of Texas Tech Physicians, said these physicians are the foot soldiers on the ground making a difference in the lives of foster children.
“Foster children have special needs and people in Texas are taking notice of the remarkable work TTUHSC and Texas Tech Physicians are providing,” Magers said.
Richard Lampe, M.D., chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, said the community has the three Ps — pediatrics, Patterson and Pankratz to bring needed health care to foster children.
“Children are important but when they are taken away from their families, it is never a happy situation,” Lampe said. “TTUHSC and Texas Tech Physicians are important access points because we are set up to provide access to care, especially subspecialty care like trauma and psychiatry needed by foster kids.”
A 2016 Journal of Pediatrics study found that children in foster care were twice as likely as others to have learning disabilities and developmental delays, five times as likely to have anxiety, six times as likely to have behavioral problems and seven times as likely to have depression.
Patterson hopes TTUHSC and Texas Tech Physicians efforts make an impact in foster children’s heath and lives.
“We have a passion to help foster children,” Patterson said. “We believe we can help stabilize them and their placements, so they don’t bounce around the foster care system. Perhaps they get a forever home sooner. If we make the system better for foster kids, we make it better for all kids.”
Related Stories
A Rite of Passage for Next Generation of Physicians
Students in TTUHSC's School of Medicine Class of 2028 received their first white coat and pledged their commitment to the medical profession at the White Coat Ceremony Friday (July 26) at the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
As spring approaches, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening. Whether it’s a flower garden they desire or a vegetable garden want to have, they begin planning what they’ll plant and what they need to do to ensure a successful garden.
Adopt a Growth Mindset for a Better Life
A “growth mindset” accepts that our intelligence and talents can develop over time, and a person with that mindset understands that intelligence and talents can improve through effort and learning.
Recent Stories
Gov. Abbott Appoints TTUHSC’s Varma to Texas Medical Board District Three Review Committee
Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center’s (TTUHSC) Surendra Varma, M.D., to the Texas Medical Board (TMB) District Three Review Committee for a term set to expire January 15, 2026.
Marching Through the Heat: College Band Members Tackle Physical Challenges
Marching band musicians endure physical strain which could pose a significant risk of injuries if proper precautions aren’t taken. David S. Edwards, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians sports medicine physician, spoke about injuries and preparation.
TTUHSC’s Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy Establishes Brain Drug Discovery Center
The Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy in Amarillo has developed the Brain Drug Discovery Center, the newest TTUHSC research center.