Mental Health Screening in Treatment Foster Care

Despite the prevalence of trauma among children in foster care, child welfare agencies rarely screen for a history of trauma exposure and associated symptoms. This study aimed to examine (1) the adherence to the universal implementation of trauma and mental health screening in urban Treatment Foster Care programs and (2) the New York University changes in childrens mental health and trauma symptom screening scores in agencies participating in a broad range of trauma-informed activities. Overall, the screening rates in this study were low, reflecting challenges that should be considered by foster programs looking to implement trauma screening protocols. However, changes in mental health and trauma symptom scores were observed among children in participating agencies, suggesting the potential impact of trauma-informed care.