title: Underserved parents, underserved youth: Considering foster parent willingness to foster substance-using adolescents.
abstract: Adolescents involved with foster care are five times more likely to receive a drug dependence diagnosis when compared to adolescents in the general population. Prior research has shown that substance use is often hidden from providers, negating any chance for treatment and almost guaranteeing poor post-foster care outcomes. There are virtually no studies that examine the willingness (and its determinants) to foster youth with substance abuse problems. The current study conducted a nationally-distributed survey of 752 currently licensed foster care parents that assessed willingness to foster youth overall and by type of drug used, and possible correlates of this decision (e.g., home factors, system factors, and individual foster parent factors such as ratings of perceived difficulty in fostering this population). Overall, willingness to foster a youth involved with alcohol and other drugs (AOD) was contingent upon the types of drugs used. The odds that a parent would foster an AOD-involved youth were significantly increased by being licensed as a treatment foster home, having fostered an AOD-involved youth in the past, having AOD-specific training and past agency-support when needed, and self-efficacy with respect to positive impact. Surprisingly, when religion played a large part in the decision to foster any child, the odds of willingness to foster an AOD-involved youth dropped significantly. These results suggest that a large proportion of AOD-involved youth who find themselves in the foster care system will not have foster families willing to parent them, thereby forcing placement into a variety of congregate care facilities (e.g., residential treatment facilities, group homes). Specific ways in which the system can address these issues to improve placement and permanency efforts is provided.
authors: Treatment Research Institute, 600 Public Ledger Building, 150 S. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA, 19106.
authors: Kathleen
authors: K
authors: Meyers
authors: Treatment Research Institute, 600 Public Ledger Building, 150 S. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA, 19106.
authors: Övgü
authors: Ö
authors: Kaynak
authors: National Foster Parent Association, 2021 E. Hennepin Ave., #320, Minneapolis, MN, 55413.
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Clements
authors: Treatment Research Institute, 600 Public Ledger Building, 150 S. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA, 19106.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Bresani
authors: Administration on Children, Youth and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1250 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC, 20024.
authors: Tammy
authors: T
authors: White