This piece was originally published in May 2021.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Youth are facing more challenges to their mental health than ever before, and this month aims to bring awareness to their unique struggles.
“Life is pretty chaotic, and there’s a lot of putting out fires. Most kids are in some state of crisis when they arrive, and they’re stuck there for an indefinite time. This leads to a lot of uncertainty and anxiety."
We talked to Ashley Hogan, a licensed mental health professional from Integral Care’s Safe Landing Program (a pilot program that focuses on children in foster care), about the mental health challenges all kids are facing, and how those challenges are magnified for kids in the foster care system.
Every day, Ashley provides mental health therapy to children ranging from 4-18 years old who are in foster care placements or staying at CPS offices awaiting a new placement. She says that many of the biggest mental health struggles that kids are having stem from isolation and lack of socialization with other peers.
For the kids that Ashley works with who are sleeping in CPS offices, the trauma they have already faced continues to be compounded each day.
“Life is pretty chaotic, and there’s a lot of putting out fires. Most kids are in some state of crisis when they arrive, and they’re stuck there for an indefinite time. This leads to a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. It is really hard for them to stay motivated to work, go to school, and do normal things with so much hanging over their head," she said.
"When people say that kids are sleeping in offices, I don’t think people realize it IS an office. It has an acoustic ceiling, no windows, and just a small mattress. It is definitely an environment with a lack of stimulation — which can cause kids to act out."
"When people say that kids are sleeping in offices, I don’t think people realize it IS an office. It has an acoustic ceiling, no windows, and just a small mattress. It is definitely an environment with a lack of stimulation — which can cause kids to act out. The uncertainty of not knowing when you’ll be moved while you’re already dealing with so much trauma is really overwhelming.”
Kids Learn Resiliency from Us
Ashley’s tips on how people in children’s lives can help them build resilience:
- Have empathy.
- Connect with kids by sharing your own experiences to make them feel heard.
- Encourage kids to keep connecting with friends. Enroll children in activities like camps and make dedicated time to be in-person with friends.
- Hold space for children to be upset (it’s okay to not be okay) while trying to balance optimism.
- Remember that resilience is taught and not developed alone. With the right support, children can overcome mental health challenges.
2021 May Advocacy Mental Health
