Although most states, such as California, offer sexual and reproductive wellness education for foster youth through SB 89, some governmental entities try to minimize its application. A report from the Imprint in May indicated that there are “10 states with no publicly available policies ensuring all foster youth have received age-appropriate education on sexuality and relationships.” The reasons for this component of education for foster youth are evident. Texas’ TribTalk 2018 indicated, “Girls in foster care are nearly five times more likely to get pregnant than girls who are not in foster care.” A report from Chapin Hall in 2016 indicated, among other things, that of foster youth that experienced pregnancy, 66% of young men and 70% of young women reported that it was unintentional.
To be clear, SB 89 in California indicates that children ages ten and older are to receive access to sexual and reproductive wellness and health education, remove barriers, and provide sexual health training. However, each agency should verify this requirement with their county or state.
Last year, I worked with a client developing a California residential treatment program. The population of the children at the home would be between those identifying as female, ages 6 to 12. The client wanted a letter of support from her county of residence to advance her program statement to the state. My client and I were talking to the Mental Health Department in that county about the program statement. Within it, we stated that Planned Parenthood would be a resource for birth control and sexual and reproductive health. The county representatives questioned why children this young would need this resource. I explained to them the state law (SB89) and that children aged ten and above can access this information at home. After a ten-minute back-and-forth discussion with the county representatives, they agreed that this resource was acceptable for the facility. This account is an example that, although county and state agencies should be aware of the laws and regulations, a community-based organization needs to educate and advocate. Otherwise, sexual and reproductive wellness will be non-existent.
Praxes Behavioral Health offers courses in sexual and reproductive wellness. Feel free to contact us for more information.
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PRAXES is a nationwide behavioral health software, consulting, and training company. No one in the behavioral health industry has a better reputation, and if you give us the chance, we’ll show you why! At PRAXES, our services improve the efficiency and structure of behavioral health agencies serving children and families nationwide. PRAXES brings over 45 years of administrative and clinical expertise. With more than 100 client companies nationwide, we offer the expertise to advance the quality of behavioral health services. We accomplish these goals through our new clinical decision software, our training of best practices, and helping companies meet regulatory standards. At PRAXES, we believe in being creative and fostering new ways to serve children and their families. Our vision is to empower the families our agencies serve with skills that not only improve their functioning, but help them to thrive in their everyday lives. When you give us the chance, you’ll be connected directly to our friendly staff, so you can expect immediate attention to your inquiry. So, don’t wait, call now!
Dan Thorne has unique perspectives on the field of mental health. As a clinician, he has had over 40 years of experience working with clients in the Southern California area. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine, he worked with children in the Orange County Juvenile Hall. Here he honed his earliest techniques on at-risk children. After that, he obtained his Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton.
In the 1990’s, Dan turned his attention to the clinical and administrative side of behavioral health organizations. For three years, he was the Assistant Administrator of Starting Point, a chemical dependency facility in Costa Mesa, CA. In 2001, he took an opportunity to be the Director of Harbor View Community Services Center in Long Beach. When he arrived, the Center had only 80 clients and 13 staff. When he left, there were over 400 clients and 75 staff. Dan created several programs through their contract with the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Child and Family Services. Under his guidance, Harbor View became one of the leading providers of children’s services in Los Angeles County.
While improving the results of the client’s parents at the Center, Dan reflected on his experiences as a parent. His children themselves had special needs such as mental and intellectual challenges, and Dan knew the toll it takes on the parent. In order to help the child, the parent has to be healthy. From this concept, he created his parenting program. After years of refining it, teaching it to his staff at the Center, and then taking the results and comments from these efforts, he became the developer of the current PRAXES program. It is a culmination of Dan’s personal trials and tribulations as a parent along with empirical results and research of over 40 parenting programs.
Our vision at PRAXES is to advance the strength of parents and caregivers of children with special needs (mental health, intellectual, or physical) through education, support, and empowerment. Thus, they can live healthy and functional lives while caring for the child.
Apogee is a clinical decision software designed to help behavioral health practitioners with their treatment and patient engagement. It provides evidence-based and research-based components. Not only do they consist of elements from such practices as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Functional Behavior Analysis, but also the Intensive Models for Parents, Youth, and Children.
PRAXES has over 30 years of accreditation experience. We know what it takes to get your organization accredited. Whether it’s Joint Commission, CARF, or COA, our team can provide an evaluation of your current status and review the standards which need improvements. We will assist you with the policies, documentation, and training required to be accredited.
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