A program of Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children & Families Issue 8, January 2023

Welcome Florence Crittenton – a New L.Y.G.H.T. Community Site

A new community partner has joined us in the Lowcountry, South Carolina (SC). Florence Crittenton Programs of SC provides safe housing, medical care, education, and other services to pregnant, parenting, and young women in foster care. Starting in January 2023, Florence Crittenton will be offering the L.Y.G.H.T. Program to teens and young adults to address the loss and grief needs of the youth in their care. This program will be offered by trained staff at Florence Crittenton and in collaboration with their community partner, Carolina Youth Development Center. According to Cheryl O’Donnell, Executive Director of Florence Crittenton Programs of SC, “1 in 10 youth experienced the death of a parent or sibling before they reached the age of 18. Others have little or no relationship with a parent due to incarceration, foster care, out-of-home placement, or running away from home. Some may be grieving the loss of their own child.” A heartfelt thank you to Florence Crittenton and all our L.Y.G.H.T. community sites and facilitators who continue to support teens and young adults through their loss and grief.

Living in an Inspired World Do you know a youth in foster care who could use some inspiration? Living in an Inspired World: Voices and Visions of Youth in Foster care is a resource inspired by and created for youth in foster care. The inspirational quotes shared in this book speak to the strength and supportive nature of youth as they navigate the foster care system. Through listening to youth’s voices, we can understand the wisdom and positivity that youth in foster care need and deserve. This book provides an opportunity to change young people’s perspectives about being in foster care and a space to recognize something in themselves, which is often already there but sometimes difficult to see when they are faced with ambiguity and loss. Thanks to our partnerships with the Child Welfare League of America and The Duke Endowment, many of the youth in the L.Y.G.H.T. program receive a free copy of this important youth-driven book. We’ve included a sneak peek below of some of the book entries. To order the book for a youth in foster care, please visit the Child Welfare League of America bookstore.

Annual Report on L.Y.G.H.T.

During 2021-2022, the L.Y.G.HT. program has been offered over 60 times in South Carolina. From the Upstate to the Midlands, down to the Lowcountry, the L.Y.G.H.T. program has provided grief and loss support to more than 50 teens and young adults in foster care. L.Y.G.H.T. facilitators invested 372 hours in committing to their role and supporting the youth in their groups. The positive impact on youth well-being and the level of peer support continues to grow as we offer each group and build more community partnerships across the state of South Carolina. Thank you to all those who help to bring L.Y.G.H.T. to youth in foster care!

L.Y.G.H.T. is on its way to Portland, Oregon

The L.Y.G.H.T. program is headed to the West Coast this year! Dougy Center is interested in connecting with local partners in Portland, Oregon who want to know more about offering L.Y.G.H.T. to teens and young adults in foster care. Are you located in the Portland Metro area and interested in adding this evidence-based, trauma-informed peer grief support program to your direct services? If you are interested in becoming a community site or learning how to become a L.Y.G.H.T. Program facilitator, contact us at lyght@dougy.org for more information.

For more information about L.Y.G.H.T., send us an email or visit our website.

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