Fostering Well-Being

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The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Aging and Long Term Support Administration (ALTSA) Fostering Well-Being Program (FWB) provides expert medical consultation to the Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF). FWB Program staff ensure appropriate healthcare and coordination of health care services that meet the goals of DCYF. Social workers and caregivers can access competent information about the interests and needs of children they refer to the program that meet program eligibility. FWB is here to support infants/children/youth in foster care, their licensed and relative Caregivers, Social Workers and Tribal Social Workers.

FWB’s primary focus is care coordination for the Apple Health (fee-for-service Medicaid) population. These children/youth in foster care include the following population:

  • Tribal-affiliated or in tribal custody and have not opted to enroll in managed care due to being American Indian/Alaska Native, or
  • Non-Citizen, or
  • Existing enrolled clients (prior to April 1, 2016) in the Health Care Authority (HCA), Medically Intensive Children’s Program (MICP)

The FWB team is located throughout the state of Washington and is comprised of:

  • A Unit Manager
  • Regional Medical Consultants (RMCs)
    • Active licensed Pediatricians, who are available for clinical consultation for children/youth in not only a dependency with the state, but for non-dependent children where there is risk of health and/or safety in question
  • Registered Nurses
  • Program Specialists

The Fostering Well-Being team functions in four main areas:

  • Care Coordination
  • Consultation
  • Medically Fragile Group Home oversight
  • Partnerships with multiple cross agencies and managed care organizations

For more information about our program please review our program flyers and fact sheet:

If you would like to make a referral to the FWB program or managed care organizations on a child/youth in dependency, please complete and e-mail the FWB “referral form” to fwb@dshs.wa.gov.   

For questions, please contact FWB by email at fwb@dshs.wa.gov (preferred), by phone at 1-800-422-3263 ext. 52626/option 5, or by fax at 360-725-2284

Health and Education

FWB Useful Forms

FWB Resources

  • Resource Guide (updated April 2024)
    • For the most up-to-date copy, please email FWB and we would be happy to email you our latest version

Land Acknowledgment

The Fostering Well-Being program is located at the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA) Head Quarters building known as Blake West in Lacey, Washington.  We acknowledge that our Head Quarters resides on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, specifically the Nisqually and Squaxin Island Peoples; who have lived on and cared for this land and these waterways since time immemorial.  We serve children and youth from all of Washington, and we make this acknowledgement to open a space of recognition, inclusion and respect for all Indigenous Peoples and their lands throughout our beautiful State. (Whose land are you on? Click here to view Native Land Digital)

Other Useful Links