SEPTEMBER 2024

September is Suicide Prevention Month and at the National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services (the National Center), we are discussing the specific needs, risks and solutions for children and youth who have experienced the child welfare system.

Studies reveal that the risk for suicide is 3.5 to 4 times higher for children currently or previously involved with child welfare compared to youth with no child welfare experience. Staggering statistics like these point to the importance of ensuring access to effective mental health services to prevent suicidal behaviors. For children and families involved with child welfare, this means access to adoption competent mental health services and at the National Center, we are focused on doing just that. Adoption competency is not a single practice or protocol, but a comprehensive set of knowledge, values, and skills competencies rooted in decades of research and embedded in evidence-informed best professional practices that are more responsive to and effective with adoptive families.

Open conversation is a great first step to identifying and practicing suicide prevention. Our September webinar series will feature information from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and provide an opportunity to hear from individuals with lived experience. Learn more and register below!

September Webinar Series:

Suicide Prevention in Child Welfare

On September 17, Susie (수지) Reynolds Reece of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center will discuss risk factors among youth in child welfare, prevention strategies, and crisis response and safety planning.

Learning from Those with Lived Experience with Suicide

Join our live virtual panel discussion on September 24 where adoptive parents, a transracial adoptee, and a birth parent will share their experiences with suicidality. Register today!

CDC Prevention Resources

The CDC's Suicide Prevention Resource for Action outlines evidence-based strategies to reduce suicide. It emphasizes a comprehensive public health approach, including strengthening economic supports, creating protective environments, improving access to care, promoting healthy connections, teaching coping skills, and identifying and supporting at-risk individuals. Check out our Updates Launch Pad to find more resources on suicide prevention and suicidality.

Access Resources

Introducing the Updates Launch Pad

The National Center is thrilled to share a new addition to our website where you can access all of our most recent and relevant content in one place. Bookmark the Launch Pad to stay up to date!

Visit the Updates Launch Pad

Technical Assistance Updates

The National Center has been actively engaged and listening to learn about the mental health needs of children impacted by the child welfare system throughout the United States. The nationwide challenges expressed include difficulty maintaining children safely in family homes, widespread staffing shortages, and limited capacity of systems to meet families’ mental health needs. Other identified challenge areas include:

1. Children, youth, and families receive fragmented services.

2. Systems struggle to collaborate effectively.

3. Services are unable to meet the high acuity needs of children, youth, and families.

4. There is an over-reliance on highest care levels, including residential care.

5. There is a shortage of child welfare and mental health providers.

6. The workforce needs additional professional development to respond to the need.

7. Systems do not have the knowledge to maximize and integrate lived experience into service provision.

8. A lack of culturally and linguistically responsive practices causes disproportionality.

9. Patchworked funding streams result in fragmentation of services.

10. Evidence-informed practice change is slow and leads to unsuccessful outcomes.

Bring TA to Your Community!

Let’s talk – contact Mary Wichansky, the Director of the National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services or Connect with Us and we will be glad to deepen your understanding of this work and answer any questions you may have.

What's New in the Hub?

The National Center Knowledge Hub is designed to mobilize knowledge into practice to improve child welfare and mental health systems. We add resources and new learning experiences to this Knowledge Hub on an ongoing basis.

The Urgent Need to Recognize and Reduce Risk of Suicide for Children in the Welfare System

Youth involved with the child welfare system are at a 3.5-fold higher risk for suicide than the general youth population. This article demonstrates the need for universal suicide risk detection and targeted outreach for high-risk populations.

Access Resources

Preventing Suicidal Behavior Among Youth in Foster Care

This resource offers guidance for caregivers and foster parents on preventing suicidal behavior among youth in child welfare. It reviews risk factors and provides actionable steps for early detection, support, and intervention to ensure their safety and well-being.

Access Resources

Suicide Prevention for Children and Youth: Quick Guide

This guide provides at-a-glance statistics, risk factors, warning signs, and solutions for suicide prevention in youth and children.

Access Resources

Want to add to the Knowledge Hub?

Add a resource to our growing collection! Send your submissions to Erin Bader , Director of Knowledge and Dissemination.

In Case You Missed It

Fiscal Webinar Replay

In August, the National Center hosted a live webinar about fiscal approaches for child welfare mental health services. The session covers exploration of primary funding sources, foundational principles for fiscal infrastructure, and more. Check out the replay to watch on-demand!