Posts Tagged ‘Published Articles’
What former foster children went through when the COVID-19 pandemic closed college campuses
by Saralyn Ruff (Associate Professor of Psychology, University of San Francisco) and Deanna Linville (Associate Professor & Research Scientist of Mental Health, University of Oregon) The big idea In the first two months of the pandemic, more than half of former foster children lost their jobs and nearly 40% experienced precarious living situations or homelessless,…
Read MoreReferences – Under the Influence: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the Biology of Trauma
American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM–5). Author. Bakhireva, L., Garrison, L., Shrestha, S., Sharkis, J., Miranda, R., & Rogers, K. (2018). Challenges of diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in foster and adopted children. Alcohol, 67, 37–43. Behnke, M., Smith, V., Committee on Substance Abuse, & Committee…
Read MoreUnder the Influence: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the Biology of Trauma
By John Stirling, MD & Karen Zilberstein, MSW, LICSW The past two decades have seen revolutionary advances in understanding the neurodevelopmental consequences of childhood trauma (Nemeroff, 2016; Teicher & Samson, 2016). As awareness has spread, trauma-informed practices have been urged on medical practitioners (Oral et al., 2016) and child welfare agencies (Hanson & Lang, 2016). Evidence-based,…
Read MoreInequities in Mental Health Services: It’s Time for a Reckoning and Rectification
By Karen ZilbersteinAugust 25, 2020Originally posted in Mad in America As the country confronts the coronavirus crisis and the ways it has exposed racism and inequality, it is time for the mental health field to look inwards and reckon with its own shortcomings. Similar to other American institutions and disciplines, racial and socioeconomic inequalities tend to…
Read MoreProviding Therapy for Foster Youth While Supporting Therapist Communities
Join Kristin, from Mental Health News Radio, as she speaks with Reed Connell, Executive Director, and Deanna Linville, Director of Clinical Programs, at A Home Within, which helps provide free therapy for current and previous foster youth. As Reed Connell states, A Home Within’s therapists are all part of a ‘community of hundreds of therapists nationwide who volunteer…
Read MoreFoster Youth At The Nexus of Two American Crises
BY DEANNA LINVILLE, FELICIA GUTIERREZ, SARALYN RUFF, REED CONNELL AND ELIZA BLACKORBY The Imprint has recently published dozens of articles exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on foster youth, and how they perceive and participate in this country’s current reckoning with systemic and institutional racism. It is clear that young people are at the nexus of a…
Read MoreThe World Is Watching: Can We Finally Address Our Nation’s Youth Mental Health Crisis?
BY REED CONNELL “Although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken.” So begins the United Nations’ Policy Brief: COVID-19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health, released May 13, 2020. A similar U.N. brief, released the…
Read MorePerspectives of Current and Former Foster Youth During COVID-19: Preliminary Report
Saralyn Ruff, our Clinical Consultant, collected responses from young adults in foster care to learn about their experiences and needs during COVID-19. Please review her Preliminary Report here, and contact her with any questions. This national survey assessed the needs, concerns, and strengths of young adults (ages 18-26) with a history of foster care in…
Read MoreVirtual Support Group for Current and Former Foster Youth: Doodling Permitted, Songs Encouraged
On a recent Monday evening, a young man strummed a guitar as he performed an original song for his peers—physically scattered around Oregon but gathered virtually in a video conference room. Listening intently, the other youth waved their fingers in the “sparkle gesture” to show their appreciation for the powerful piece. The youth on the…
Read MoreThe Loving Place for Children That Assumes Beauty
By David Brooks COMO, Italy — Some of the people who do the most good have a willingness to be radically changed. They are sensitive to the problems around them, which a lot of us are, but they are also willing to transform their lives to address them, which a lot of us don’t consider.…
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