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Celebrating 30 Years of Foster Care Research

A Home Within’s Impact Evaluation

In partnership with USF’s Foster Care Research Group

A Home Within has long been committed to documenting the impacts of our work through rigorous research and evaluation. Since 2001, the University of San Francisco’s Foster Care Research Group, led by Dr. Saralyn Ruff and Dr. June Clausen, has measured therapist-reported treatment outcomes for the young people A Home Within serves.

All of our research is conducted with the larger goal of reducing barriers so more foster youth can receive mental health services.

Findings show that A Home Within’s model of open-ended, relationship-based, trauma-informed psychotherapy for foster youth has contributed to the significant reduction of mental health symptoms including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and dissociative states, all of which would otherwise have grave consequences if left un- or under-treated.

Today, as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, we are accepting clients to participate in a Randomized Control Trial (the “gold standard” of research), which will evaluate the impact of AHW’s service delivery model compared to peer support groups.

Stay tuned for more updates on our research by signing up for our newsletter.

Saralyn Ruff
University of San Francisco

List of Publications

Ruff, S. C., Linville, D., & Clausen, J. M., & J. Kjellstrand, J. (Revise & Resubmit). Preliminary effects of A Home Within psychotherapy with former and current foster youth. Children and Youth Services Review.

Ruff, S. C., Jones, C. L., & Clausen, J. M. (2018). The utilization of long-term mental health services by adolescents in foster care. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 12(3), 331–340. doi: 10.1007/s40653-018-0233-9

Ruff, S. C., Aguilar, R., & Clausen, J. M. (2016). An exploratory study of mental health interventions with infants and young children in foster care. Journal of Family Social Work, 19, 184-198. doi: 10.1080/10522158.2016.1181128

Ruff, S. C., & Baron, J. (2012). Fostering relationships with children who are “too much to handle.” Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 11, 387-399. doi: 10.1080/15289168.2012.735191

Clausen, J. M, Ruff, S. C., von Wiederhold, W., & Heineman, T. (2012). For as long as it takes: Relationship-based play therapy for children in foster care. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 19, 43-53. doi: 10.1080/15228878.2012.666481

Heineman, T. V., Clausen, J. M., & Ruff, S. C. (Eds.). (2013). Relationship-Based Therapy: Treating traumatized children and youth: Stories from A Home Within. Lanham, Maryland: Jason Aronson Publishing.

Vithanage, W., Clausen, J. M., & Ruff, S. C. (2019). Psychotropic medication use among foster youth seeking mental health treatment. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Pasadena, CA.

Jones, C., Aguilar, M., Abughrib, S., & Ruff, S. (2018). Referral to treatment: Mental health needs of foster youth. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.

Greene, E., Kara, S., Aguilar, R. M., & Ruff, S. (2017). An analysis of the impacts of neglect on former foster youth. Presented at the annual Western Psychological Association Convention, Sacramento, CA.

Ashley, S., Escobedo, A. G., Aguilar, R. M., & Ruff, S. C. (2016). Descriptive analysis of emancipated foster youth seeking mental health treatment. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Long Beach, CA.

Escobedo, A. G., Schwabenland, C. E., Aguilar, R. M., & Ruff, S. C. (2016). Therapy outcomes: Differences between Latino and non-Latino foster youth. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Long Beach, CA.

Scherer, P. H., Aguilar, R. M., & Ruff, S. C. (2016). Longitudinal therapeutic outcomes for foster youth; Emotional development and symptomology. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Long Beach, CA.

Scherer, P., Ashley, S., Aguilar, R., Ruff, S., & Clausen, J. (2015). The relationship between developmental delays and psychiatric symptoms in foster youth. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Las Vegas, NV.

Zevallos, G., Ruff, S., Aguilar, R., & Clausen, J. (2015). Referral of foster youth to mental health services. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Las Vegas, NV.

Dang, T. P., Aguilar, R. S., Ruff, S. C., & Clausen, J. M. (2014). Attachment to therapist and treatment outcome among foster youth. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.

Lemley, B. Q., Aguilar, R. S., Ruff, S. C., & Clausen, J.M. (2014). Ethnic differences in therapy outcome for foster youth. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.

Rhodes, A. E., Aguilar, R. S., Ruff, S. C., & Clausen, J. M. (2014). Gender differences in foster youth who receive Relationship-Based Therapy. Presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.

At a Glance

23 years partnering with Foster Care Research Group
Over 20 publications
Randomized control trial launched 2024