Little research has previously examined substance use and substance use disorders as youth age out of foster care. This study examined rates of getting drunk, marijuana use, and substance use disorders over time for a cohort of 325 older youth in foster care in Missouri. Rates of past month...

Young adults who were served in public systems of care as children are much more likely than their peers to be parenting in adolescence and young adulthood. They are also more likely than their counterparts to have a history of mental health problems. This study examined the perspectives of...

Little research has systematically examined the transition process out of the foster care system for older youth, especially in states where youth can stay past age 18. This study uses mixed-methods data from 404 youth from Missouri, interviewed nine times between ages 17 and 19 to explore five...

Studies find considerable movement between residential treatment and less restrictive foster home settings, with approximately half of foster youth who are stepped down eventually returning to a higher level of care. Very little is known about the step down for foster youth who are approaching...

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is one of the most widely disseminated mental health interventions for children and youth. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the evidence of TF-CBT's ability to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression and...

This study explores the non-kin natural mentoring relationships among a group of older youth in foster care (n = 339), particularly whether or not their relationships last over time. The study also examines the associations between non-kin natural mentoring relationships and psychosocial...