By Cynthia Henderson, PhD, LICSW, LCSW-C I am caught between leaving childhood, some of the benefits that it brought or benefits taken away In route to adulthood, am I ready, my brain is still processing the shift and feeling it has gone astray So many things I may never see again, so many places I dreamed of, will they ever ... Read More »
Why are adolescents sometimes more impulsive or make poor decisions, such as drinking, hanging with wrong crowd or dropping out of school? The reason could be because of brain development. Many people do not know the brains of youth do not fully develop until they are in their mid twenties, which is why they may behave in ways that bewilder ... Read More »
Salem, Oregon – Gov. Kate Brown has announced a bold plan to improve the lives of Oregon’s foster children. Gov. Brown has called on the legislature to spend $14.5 million this biennium to hire 185 new staff members at the Department of Human Services (DHS), including 75 social workers. This comes on the heels of an audit released by Secretary ... Read More »
There are many challenges that face children who age out of the foster care system, including education, housing, and health care. One rarely-addressed challenge is oral health care. Children who have aged out of the foster care system face considerable barriers in accessing oral health care. Although this population of foster care alumni may have Medicaid insurance while they are ... Read More »
By Maren Dale, News contributor Although progress continues to be made toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) equality in the U.S. — as evidenced by marriage equality and better recognition of and respect for people who identify as LGBTQ — this progress is not felt by all members of the LGBTQ community. For LGBTQ youth in foster care ... Read More »
May is National Foster Care Month, a time to raise awareness on the plight of children and youth in the foster care system. There are approximately 400,000 children and youth in foster care because their own families are unable to provide for their essential well-being. In addition, an estimated 17,000 young people age out of the foster care system each year ... Read More »
By Paul R. Pace, News staff Foster youth can experience greater challenges than their non-foster youth peers as they grow into adulthood. Besides the potential for mental stress, foster youth can face financial, transportation and housing insecurity that can impede a path to a postsecondary education. Fortunately, there are social workers, such as Maria Garin Jones, who specialize in supporting ... Read More »
Culture is a word used to describe the way of life for groups who share the same race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, spirituality, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics that influence perceptions, attitudes, and behavior. It is a way for families to preserve and bequeath to future generations their contributions and legacies. However, all that is unique and special about culture, ... Read More »
By Rena Malai, News staff An estimated 25,000 youths age out of the foster care system every year, and they face a variety of issues when they no longer have that support system. Social workers who specialize in this area say health care is among the main concerns. The Affordable Care Act is helping to alleviate this problem by extending ... Read More »
Do “Adoption from Foster Care” PSAs Create Action? “You don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent.” You may be familiar with this public service campaign promoting adoption from foster care, which was produced by The Advertising Council, the leading producer of public service campaigns in the country. The Council is looking for individuals who will share compelling ... Read More »
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