Health Care Services at BYS

Assessment and Management of Children's Health Needs

The concern of BYS, first and foremost, is for the physical and emotional well-being of the children in our care. All other goals and objectives are secondary to the children's safety and to their healthy development.

BYS provides continuous health care oversight and services including:

Routine health examinations

Each child has a physical examination by a qualified physician at the time of admission and annually thereafter. Other health examinations include dental exams, orthodontic care, vision and hearing exams and consultation with medical specialists as needed.

Health Assessment

Nursing staff examine children for health concerns such as sore throats, rashes and fevers. A written health assessment is completed on each child by a nurse at the time of admission and every six months thereafter. The Health Assessment includes results of physical exams and laboratory testing, dietary needs, a growth profile, hygienic concerns, and medications. The Health Assessment also includes a detailed health history of prior illness or surgery, allergies, immunization records, smoking or substance abuse history and needs for sexuality education and care.

Psychiatric Evaluation and Services

The nursing staff prepare and coordinate the schedules of child psychiatrists in service with BYS. Each child sees a psychiatrist at least every three months, and every six to eight weeks if prescribed psychotropic medication. Generally one psychiatric service day is scheduled per week.

Emergency Medical Care

All childcare staff are trained annually in CPR and First Aid measures. Licensed nurses are available during the day and on-call during other hours to treat and assess potential medical emergencies including bee stings, falls and asthma attacks. Twenty-four hour doctor-staffed emergency room service is available in the community.

Medication Management

Licensed BYS nurses supervise medication administration, filling of prescriptions and stocking of over the counter medications. All childcare personnel must complete Missouri certified training for "Child and Youth Care Medication Aide" prior to administering any medication in their work, prescription or non-prescription.

Dietary Consultation

Nurses provide nutritional education to both children and staff. Menus are prepared to meet USDA standards for fat, sodium, fiber and calorie content. Meals are served family-style in the ranches and cafeteria-style during the on-grounds school lunch.

Questions about the health care services at BYS, or about the health care needs of children served in this setting may be addressed to Jacki Carton MSN,RN, director of BYS health care services.