A Home Within was created to ensure that young people who have experienced foster care receive long-term, relationship-based therapy from clinicians who truly see and understand them. Yet national data reveals a deep structural challenge: a 2015 report showed that 86% of licensed psychologists in the United States were white, and a 2019 study found that 70% of social workers and 88% of mental health counselors were also white. This means that most youth—particularly youth of color—face significant barriers to accessing care from therapists who share their cultural identities and lived experiences.

At the same time, the lived experience of foster care disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous, and other youth of color, who are overrepresented in the child welfare system and often under-resourced in the supports available to them. Across A Home Within, our clients have consistently asked for more therapists who can provide culturally aligned, culturally affirming care—providers who understand their communities, their histories, and the resilience they carry.

To meet this need, A Home Within is committed to increasing the representation of mental health providers of color across clinical disciplines, ensuring that youth and families from diverse backgrounds have access to providers who deliver culturally responsive, trauma-informed treatment.

Building Practice in Community (BPIC) is one way we are building this future—together.