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Klodnick VV, Johnson RP, Sapiro B, Fagan MA, Cohen DA. How Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Diagnoses Navigate Poverty Post-emancipation: The Complex Roles of Community Mental Health Services & Informal Social Support. Community Ment Health J 2024; 60:635-648. [PMID: 37789173 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-023-01188-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Serious mental health diagnoses are prevalent among youth who "age out" of foster care by reaching the maximum age for child welfare service eligibility. Post-emancipation, little is known about how youth engage in community mental health services, or leverage informal social networks, to navigate independence. Twenty emancipating youth completed three interviews over 16 months. All emancipated into poverty; most lived alone and initially connected to adult community mental health teams. Four service use and informal support profiles emerged from analysis: (1) Navigators (n = 2) actively used mental health services and provided limited informal support; Treaders (n = 9) passively used mental health services and heavily exchanged informal support; Survivors (n = 5) used mental health services when in crisis and heavily provided informal support; and Strugglers (n = 4) avoided mental health services and took resources from informal connections. Findings have implications for both child and adult mental health and social service providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa V Klodnick
- Steve Hicks School of Social Work, Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA.
- Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Rebecca P Johnson
- Steve Hicks School of Social Work, Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
- Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Beth Sapiro
- Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA
| | - Marc A Fagan
- Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Deborah A Cohen
- Steve Hicks School of Social Work, Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
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Greeson JKP, Gzesh SE, Wasch S, Jaffee SR, Ciluffo KL. "Just being there, like a shoulder to lean on": Resilience and Mental Health among Older Youth in and Aged out of Foster Care during COVID-19. J Child Adolesc Trauma 2022:1-10. [PMID: 36438863 PMCID: PMC9676753 DOI: 10.1007/s40653-022-00498-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Disasters share a common potential for significant ecological and psychosocial disruption at the individual, community, and societal levels, and are especially harmful to members of social groups in vulnerable situations, including youth in foster care and those recently emancipated from care. These young people are susceptible to mental health challenges and understanding their resiliency is key to mitigating pandemic-related harms. This qualitative study aims to (1) understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of older youth between the ages of 18 and 23 (M = 20.5 years, S.D. = 1.7 years), currently in or aged out of foster care (M = 5.9 years in care, S.D. = 4.4 years), and experiencing mental health challenges, and (2) gain insight into the resiliency that supports young people in dealing with these challenges. Twenty-six young people (77% female-identifying, 38% White, 27% Hispanic) in the USA participated in in-depth interviews. Salient themes include: 1) supportive relationships, 2) adaptive coping skills and mindsets, and 3) environmental, institutional, and social supports. Results amplify the voices of these young people concerning the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and foreground the dynamic strategies they are using to alleviate their distress. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-022-00498-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna K. P. Greeson
- School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research, 3815 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Sarah E. Gzesh
- School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research, 3815 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Sarah Wasch
- The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research, 3815 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Sara R. Jaffee
- The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research, 3815 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- School of Arts & Sciences Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 425 South University Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Kaley L. Ciluffo
- The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research, 3815 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
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Shpiegel S, Aparicio EM, Ventola M, Channell Doig A, Jasczynski M, Martínez-García G, Smith R, Sanchez A, Robinson JL. Experiences of young parents with foster care backgrounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Abuse Negl 2022; 131:105527. [PMID: 35144839 PMCID: PMC8818405 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unique challenges to parents of young children, due to the closure of schools and childcare centers, and increased caregiver burden. These challenges may be especially pronounced for youth with foster care backgrounds, as they lack critical support and resources to rely on during emergency situations. OBJECTIVE The purpose of the present study was to examine the experiences of these vulnerable young parents since the beginning of the pandemic. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Our study included 17 young parents ages 18-26, who had recently aged out of foster care or were currently in extended care. Participants were predominantly female, and Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). METHODS Youth participated in virtual focus groups or individual interviews and described their experiences and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. A structured thematic analysis approach was employed to examine key themes in youths` accounts. RESULTS Analysis resulted in five major themes: (a) employment disruptions and economic hardships, (b) educational challenges for parents and children, (c) parental and child mental health concerns, (d) insufficient resources and barriers to service receipt, and (e) "silver linings". CONCLUSIONS Young parents with foster care backgrounds faced numerous challenges due to COVID-19 and struggled to access critical resources and supports. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Shpiegel
- Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave., Dickson Hall, Room 370, Montclair, NJ 07043, United States of America.
| | - Elizabeth M Aparicio
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Dr., Suite 1234, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America.
| | - Marissa Ventola
- Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave., Dickson Hall, Room 370, Montclair, NJ 07043, United States of America.
| | - Amara Channell Doig
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Dr., Suite 1234, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America.
| | - Michelle Jasczynski
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Dr., Suite 1234, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America.
| | | | - Rhoda Smith
- Department of Social Work, Erikson Institute, 451 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60654, United States of America.
| | - Alexander Sanchez
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Dr., Suite 1234, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
| | - Jennifer L Robinson
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, 4200 Valley Dr., Suite 1234, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America.
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Doucet M, Pratt H, Dzhenganin M, Read J. Nothing About Us Without Us: Using Participatory Action Research (PAR) and arts-based methods as empowerment and social justice tools in doing research with youth ' aging out' of care. Child Abuse Negl 2022; 130:105358. [PMID: 34657749 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Child welfare practices and policies are often disconnected from youth in care's perspectives and lived realities. Youth 'aging out' of care should be empowered to define their own needs, goals and success based on the unique context they are transitioning from. In research, this can be supported by engaging them as co-researchers through emancipatory approaches. Participatory Action Research (PAR) requires collaboration with those who are affected by the issue being studied in all aspects of the research, with the aim to build advocacy capacity and affect transformative social change. Photovoice employs photography and group dialogue - the fusion of images and words - as an empowerment tool, through which individuals can work together to represent their own lived experiences rather than have their stories told and interpreted by others. This is a particularly powerful approach in engaging youth with care experience, as they are often systemically disenfranchised, isolated and in need of connections to the community. This article presents the Relationships Matter for Youth 'Aging Out' of Care project, a Participatory Action Research (PAR) photovoice research project with young people with lived experience, as a case study. The project aimed to take a closer look at the relationships that matter to youth from care and how they can be nurtured over time. Narratives about the experience of participating in the project are also featured, from the perspectives of three of the youth co-researchers. Some of the benefits, challenges and lessons learned are also explored, framed within the Relationships Matter project methodology and process. Recommendations for future social work research are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jordan Read
- McGill University School of Social Work, Canada
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Salazar AM, Jones KR, Amemiya J, Cherry A, Brown EC, Catalano RF, Monahan KC. Defining and achieving permanency among older youth in foster care. Child Youth Serv Rev 2018; 87:9-16. [PMID: 29875523 PMCID: PMC5978934 DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Permanency is a key child welfare system goal for the children they serve. This study addresses three key research questions: (1) How do older youth in foster care define their personal permanency goals? (2) How much progress have these youth made in achieving their personal permanency goals and other aspects of relational permanency, and how does this vary by gender, race, and age? and (3) What transition-related outcomes are associated with relational permanency achievement? Surveys were conducted with 97 youth between the ages of 14 and 20 currently in care. Over three-fourths of participants had an informal/relational permanency goal; however, only 6.7% had achieved their goal. Of eight additional conceptualizations of relational permanency assessed, the one associated with achievement of the highest number of key transition outcomes was Sense of Family Belonging. The transition outcomes with the most associations with permanency achievement were physical health and mental health. Relational permanency is a highly personal part of the transition process for youth in care, warranting personalized supports to ensure individual youths' goals are being addressed in transition planning. Permanency achievement may also provide a foundation for supporting youth in achieving other key transition outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M. Salazar
- Department of Human Development, Washington State University, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686-9600, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Kevin R. Jones
- Dorothy Day Social Work Program, University of Portland, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97203-5798, USA
| | - Jamie Amemiya
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Adrian Cherry
- Department of Human Development, Washington State University, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686-9600, USA
| | - Eric C. Brown
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St., Suite 1014, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Richard F. Catalano
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Ave. NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Kathryn C. Monahan
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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Day A, Curtis A, Paul R, Allotey PA, Crosby S. Timely Health Service Utilization of Older Foster Youth by Insurance Type. J Adolesc Health 2016; 58:17-23. [PMID: 26707226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the impact of a policy change for older foster care youth from a fee-for-service (FFS) Medicaid program to health maintenance organization (HMO) providers on the timeliness of first well-child visits (health care physicals). METHODS A three-year retrospective study using linked administrative data collected by the Michigan Departments of Human Services and Community Health of 1,657 youth, ages 10-20 years, who were in foster care during the 2009-2012 study period was used to examine the odds of receiving a timely well-child visit within the recommended 30-day time frame controlling for race, age, days from foster care entry to Medicaid enrollment, and number of foster care placements. RESULTS Youth entering foster care during the HMO period were more likely to receive a timely well-child visit than those in the FFS period (odds ratio, 2.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.84-3.29; p < .0001) and days to the first visit decreased from a median of 62 days for those who entered foster care during the FFS period to 29 days for the HMO period. Among the other factors examined, more than 14 days to Medicaid enrollment, being non-Hispanic black and having five or more placements were negatively associated with receipt of a timely first well-child visit. CONCLUSIONS Those youth who entered foster care during the HMO period had significantly greater odds of receiving a timely first well-child visit; however, disparities in access to preventive health care remain a concern for minority foster care youth, those who experience delayed Medicaid enrollment and those who experienced multiple placements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique Day
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
| | - Amy Curtis
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
| | - Rajib Paul
- Department of Statistics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
| | | | - Shantel Crosby
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
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Shook JJ, Goodkind S, Herring D, Pohlig RT, Kolivoski K, Kim KH. How different are their experiences and outcomes? Comparing aged out and other child welfare involved youth. Child Youth Serv Rev 2013; 35:11-18. [PMID: 29167589 PMCID: PMC5695891 DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper adds to the growing body of research examining the experiences of youth aging out of the child welfare system. Through a comparison of youth aging out with two other groups of child welfare-involved youth-those whose families received child welfare services but were never placed out of home and those who were in out-of-home placement but did not age out-it presents a profile of their care careers and other system involvement (e.g., mental health, justice system). Analyses indicate that young people aging out of care have experienced significant amounts of time in out-of-home placement, a great deal of placement instability, and high levels of other system involvement. In general, their involvement is more extensive than that of the two comparison groups. However, the justice system involvement of youth who experienced out-of-home placement but did not age out is just as high as that of youth who have aged out. This finding highlights the importance of devoting resources not only to youth aging out of care but also to similarly-aged young people with prior child welfare involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J. Shook
- Corresponding author at: School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, 2117 Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States. Tel.:+1 412 648 9365. (J.J. Shook)
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