Supporting connections: A focus on the mental health needs and best practices for youth in out-of-home care transitioning to adulthood

Abstract

Child welfare-involved youth who are in out-of-home placements or foster care do not receive the same familial supports as their same-age peers when transitioning into adulthood. This young adult population faces multiple adversities, causing increased risk for poor outcomes on entering adulthood such as lower educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and incarceration. These vulnerabilities further impact the mental health care of this population. Federal legislation does recognize the state's role as a parent to help support programming for this vulnerable population and to promote resiliency. Stakeholders are developing promising programs to aid in this transition, but the availability of these programs are limited. More research is needed around this population to determine the best interventions and help drive policy and funding to ensure supports are sustainable and accessible nationwide for child welfare-involved transitional age youth.