May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. This is a way to bring awareness and attention to the needs of foster youths, foster parents, adoptive parents, and so many other individuals who work to help these children succeed. Interestingly, May is also National Mental Health Awareness Month per a presidential proclamation signed by President Barack Obama. This was done with the goals of breaking the stigma of mental illness, encouraging individuals struggling with mental health issues to seek help, and drawing attention to the need for all people to have access to adequate treatment options.
On the surface, these may seem like two very different topics. However, they are more related than many would like to think. In recent years, several studies have shown that children in out-of-home placement are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue and are more likely to be prescribed psychotropic drugs to manage such diagnoses than non-foster youths. The most recent edition of CW360 has several articles that discuss the issue of psychotropic medication usage for foster youth. This has become such an important issue that the National Resource Center on Youth Development has created a guide written specifically for foster youths about their mental health and psychotropic medication usage.
Mental health disparities and prescription drug usage among foster youth have received considerable attention and have significant implications for both the child welfare and health care systems. However, it is important to note that while foster youths experience higher rates of psychopathology, not all of those in foster care have mental health issues. Further, more research is needed to discover the complex and multi-faceted reasons behind the high rates of mental illness within the foster population.
It is both interesting and important that the month of May brings together these two issues. In order to adequately serve the needs of the children and youths within the foster care system, we must be able to assess and treat their mental health needs. It is also crucially important that these youths are not stigmatized, by either the foster care system or the mental health care system, as “defective” or “difficult.” Instead, we can join with and show our support for both Foster Care Awareness Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month, being particularly mindful of the individuals for whom these issues overlap.