Health Services

In Wisconsin, either your BMCW caseworker (in Milwaukee) or county social worker must provide you with free copies of your health records when you turn 18 or leave foster care. These records must include the following information:

The name and address of your health providers
A record of your immunizations
A record of your known medical problems
A list of your medications

BadgerCare Plus

In Wisconsin, all young adults ages 18 through 20 who are leaving foster care and turning 18 on or after January 1, 2008 are eligible for BadgerCare Plus health insurance. BadgerCare Plus is free health insurance, take advantage of it by enrolling as soon as possible. Visit BadgerCarePlus.org or call the Wisconsin Department of Health Services at 608-266-1865 for more information. Depending on your plan, BadgerCare Plus may cover the following services:

Vision care
Prescription Drugs
Doctors visits
Prenatal Care
Check ups
Immunizations (shots)
Family planning services and supplies
Mental health services
Hospital care
Medical Equipment
Hearing services
Lab and x-ray services
Speech, physical, and occupational therapy

The service is free; it is in your best interest to take advantage of it. It is very important to see a doctor and dentist at least once a year.

How to get enrolled
You can enroll in BadgerCare Plus by calling your county health department or enrolling online. The steps for enrolling online are listed below:

Go to https://access.wisconsin.gov/.

At https://access.wisconsin.gov, you can either continue working on an application or start a new one.

You will have to create a username and password before you can apply for benefits. Make sure to remember your username and password. There are many steps to the process.

You can stop at any time and finish the form later by clicking on the Save & Exit button at the bottom right-hand corner of the page.

Make sure you answer each question truthfully. If you do not know the answer, ask your social worker.

FoodShare Wisconsin

If your income is low, FoodShare Wisconsin may be able to help you buy nutritious food. You can find an application on their web site or by calling the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

You can apply to FoodShares and BadgerCare Plus at the same time at Access.Wisconsin.gov.

Family Planning Reproductive Health program

If you are 15 years of age or older, you can also obtain family planning services through the Wisconsin Family Planning Reproductive Health Program (608-266-3959).

211 Hotline

If you have a family, financial, health and social service issue that is not an emergency, call the 211 hotline to get free information. Call 211 to get help with life. To call using a cell phone, dial (414) 773-0211 or on a pay phone, dial 1-866-211-3380.