Meeting the Mental Health Needs of College Students with a Background in Foster Care

Abstract

Many colleges and universities are creating campus-based programs to support students with a background in foster care. When considering the histories of trauma experienced by these young people, meeting mental health needs is an important part of a portfolio of services. ASuPIRE is a strengths-based, trauma-informed counseling program that was designed to respond to the unique needs of college students who aged-out and/or experienced foster care at any point across their development. This program can stand alone or can be used to supplement campus-based support programs. This approach, including its theoretical framework and related interventions, will be described. A case study is also provided to illustrate the model for other post-secondary institutions interested in adopting this approach.