Foster Care and PTSD

• Foster Care Alumni and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• PTSD and Children in the Child Welfare System
• How Children and Adolescents React to Trauma
• Responding to a Child's Acute PTSD Reaction
• Effective Treatment for PTSD
• A Child Welfare Response to Traumatized Children
• Strategies for Agencies and Workers
• Preventing PTSD in Children
• Traumatic Stress and Child Welfare Workers
• Assessing Worker Distress
• Ways Supervisors Can Help Caseworkers Deal With Secondary Trauma
• References

Mental Health Needs of Foster Children and Children At-Risk for Removal

A recent issue of Virginia Child Protection Newsletter focused on the mental health needs of children entering foster care and children at risk to enter care.

The article explores:
- The range of mental health needs
- Ways to address those needs using evidence-based practices
- Ways to work with the children
- Methods for parent and foster parent training

http://psychweb.cisat.jmu.edu/graysojh/volume%2085.pdf

Emotional Resiliency Resources while pursuing Higher Ed

Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Former Foster Youth in Campus Support Programs,

December 2, 2008.

Download the PowerPoint presentation

California College Pathways conducted a web seminar to provide ongoing learning opportunities and resources for professionals working with current and former foster youth. Mental health experts from Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside discussed the relationship between mental health support and educational attainment for foster youth in higher education. They shared their evidence-based approach to addressing the mental health needs of former foster youth on campus.

Information provided in the training included:
- Issues foster youth present when transitioning into college.
- Strategies for working with foster care with mental health needs (e.g. medication management, therapy).
- Signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- How to refer a student psychological services.
- Types of counseling and support resources are available on college campuses

A sense of home in exile

Quote from the article A Sense of Home in Exile by Sandra Dudley:

"Materializing exile"

Displacement inevitably complicates and changes people's relationships with objects and places, as well as with each other. In order to live as 'normally' as possible within a new place, Karenni refugees seek to make it familiar in material ways...

-They are attempting to connect two points in space and time.

-They affirm their connections through the ritual of food, clothing and everyday activities.

-They are re-creating a sense of home.

Thoughts on Easter 2009

“Our scars have the power to remind us that the past was real.” – Red Dragon

Thoughts on the shift from victim to survivor

"The 'big click' for survivors comes after seeing a purpose for the pain, and a venue to help others. When pain seems meaningless, folks fall into despair."

~ Lisa Dickson