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Fostering Parenthood

Unlearning biases: How to best advocate for your youth’s mental health

Featuring Nancy

This episode will explore how caregivers can support the mental health of youth in foster care, access Medi-Cal mental health services, and how to advocate for their youth in care to get the services they require. 

Dorothy Daniels Hi, I’m Dorothy Daniels, I’m a pediatric nurse, a sexual health educator, a mom of 12, and a foster parent just like you. When I became a foster parent, I realized that caregivers oftentimes got overlooked with support, resources, and help during this journey because most things focused on the kids. Fostering Parenthood is that support for caregivers.

Nancy is a mother and an advocate for her two daughters, both former foster children living with rare, chronic medical complexities. Nancy founded Kids and Caregivers; a nonprofit supporting families, caregivers, and providers of chronically ill children through wellness and navigation resources, coaching, and peer-based activities. Nancy has extensive professional experience with the healthcare safety-net through her work as a consultant with public health, community, and school-based health centers. 

Fostering Parenthood is a podcast by caregivers for caregivers promoting the healthy sexual development of foster youth, brought to you by the National Center for Youth Law and the Reproductive Health Equity Project. The laws and policies discussed in our show are specific to LA County and California. However, any out-of-state or international listeners should check the regulations specific to their state or country.

Episode Resources ​

Presumptive Eligibility– Super important to note here that diagnostic criteria is no longer the bar to entry in CA’s BH system–California has fundamentally reformed the definition of Medical Necessity in both Managed Care and Specialty MH so providers don’t have to hunt for pathology and exposure to trauma is a qualifier for care.

1915b Waiver – Former/Foster youth – presumptive eligibility for Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS)

Enhanced Care Management (ECM) – not yet in effect- but it will be soon – and is designed to help foster youth navigate, access and coordinate care

More episodes below

Fostering Parenthood is fully supported by grant number 1 TP2AH000066-01-00 from the HHS Office of Population Affairs. Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Office of Population Affairs.

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