| On any given day, more than half a million youth reside in foster care within the United States (Bruskas, 2008; Child Welfare League of America, 2006). Prior to placement, many of these youth have experienced prolonged and substantiated maltreatment such as abuse and neglect, (Levitt, 2009, Sprang, Clark, Kaak, & Brenzel, 2004), which may predispose them to various mental health issues that warrant mental health care (Landsverk, Burns, Stambaugh, & Reutz, 2009). These mental health needs, which far exceed those of their same aged counterparts not residing in foster care, however, may not being adequately addressed by our child welfare or mental health system (Levitt, 2009). Additionally, research suggests that few foster parents receive appropriate and sufficient training to deal with the specific emotional and behavioral problems of the children placed in their care, resulting in lowered foster parent satisfaction levels and multiple failed placements (Barth, Green, Webb, Wall, Gibbons, & Craig, 2008; Chamberlain, Price, Reid, & Landsverk, 2008; Redding, Fried, & Britner, 2000).;Based on the literature, it is this author's belief, that one specific mental health concern of youth in foster care is self-injurious behaviors. This belief is based on research, which identifies common environmental and individual risk factors amongst both individuals who engage in acts of self-injury and youth placed in foster care (Claes, Vandereycken & Vertommen, 2004; Gratz, 2006; Strong, 1998; Suyemoto & MacDonald, 1995, van der Kolk, Perry & Herman, 1991; van der Kolk, McFarlane & Weisaeth, 1996; & Walsh, 2006). Although a paucity of research exists on the exact prevalence rates of self-injurious behavior amongst the foster care population, literature which indicates the need for foster parents to receive increased training on the potential various mental health issues of youth in care is overwhelming.;The present work consists of a psycho-educational training program designed to be implemented by certified foster parent trainers and administered to licensed foster parents. This six-hour training was developed from an integration of the research on effective treatments for self-injurious behaviors amongst adolescents, as well as the literature examining the unique mental health needs of youth placed in foster care. The training program utilizes a multi-modal format including case vignettes, role plays, questionnaires, and group activities in conjunction with lecture, to help foster parents become familiar with the current research on self-injurious behaviors and the special risk factors of the youth placed in their home. The training also includes strategies that foster parents can utilize to effectively parent a youth who self-injures, which include communication skills, a suicide assessment protocol, information on how to navigate the mental health system, and resources for support. The implications and limitations of this training, as well as areas of future research are discussed. |
