Who Gets Left Behind: Mental Health And Foster Care
May is both National Foster Care Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month. While they were created separately, Foster Care Month in 1988 and Mental Health month in 1949, there is a strong intersection between the two topics.
Approximately 20% of youth in the United States have some sort of mental health issue. Meanwhile, about 80% of youth who have been in the foster care system have mental health issues. To improve the foster care system, especially for girls of color, it is important to focus on addressing gaps in trauma-informed care by considering the experiences of former foster youth and therapists, who can provide valuable insights into the challenges and solutions needed for better mental health support.
Current Data
Currently, the foster care pool over-represents Black children and Native-American children. Black children represented 14% of the total child population but 22% of all kids in foster care. Native-American children represent 1% of the total child population but 2% of all kids in foster care.
The foster care system includes far fewer individuals from all other races and ethnicities compared to their proportion in the general population. Forty-eight percent of the kids adopted from the foster care system are white, and over 75% of those adopted are probably under 10 years old.
The same statistics apply to girls of color. Native American girls make up one percent of the national population but more than two percent of the girls in foster care, and Black girls make up 15% of the national population but 23% of the girls in foster care.
Children in foster care are already at high risk of having experienced some form of trauma, including neglect and abuse. Girls and women are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse, rape, and sex trafficking. Additionally, the lack of parental control can lead to things like early pregnancy, which affects a woman for the rest of her and her child’s life.
Moving Forward
To enhance the foster care system, particularly for girls of color, addressing gaps in trauma-informed care is essential, and this begins with listening to those who have lived through it.
Former foster youth like Lexie Gruber, who spoke to the U.S. Senate about her experiences, highlight how neglect in addressing trauma can have long-lasting impacts. Therapists and social workers, such as those from organizations like FosterClub, offer insights into the high rates of PTSD among foster children and emphasize the lack of culturally responsive care.
Research, such as work done at the Casey Family Programs, helps to improve mental health outcomes for foster youth. Integrating these real-world insights can contribute to a better understanding and addressing of the specific challenges faced by girls of color in foster care.
Many strategies already exist that may assist policymakers in advancing the foster care system. Improvements like making trauma-informed care training mandatory for foster care workers are being implemented. For example, policies similar to New York’s initiative to screen all foster children for mental health issues can help identify and address problems early on. Community efforts are also crucial; programs like those from organizations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation have successfully provided extra support to foster families, making a big difference in children’s mental health.
