It’s spooky season y’all! I love the fall season with the cooler morning temps and pumpkin everything. Some of our favorite family traditions honor the duality of cultures we celebrate in our household. My kids love celebrating Halloween by dressing up and joining the neighborhood trick-or-treat fun, seeing the spooky decorations and haunted houses on the block, and of course, indulging in the candy overload.
They also enjoy celebrating their Mexican heritage by putting up an ofrenda (altar) to honor their loved ones in recognition of Dia de los Muertos. This date celebrates the unity of life and death when the spirits of loved ones who have died return to earth to celebrate with friends and family. My kids like to color decorations, put out photos and favorite treats - chocolate and pan dulce are a must! They scatter bright orange and yellow cempasúchiles, or marigold flowers, all around their ofrenda. It’s a beautiful time to remember loved ones and celebrate family traditions, and it’s a special way to move through the grief that comes with the deep loss of a loved one.
Some of our favorite local Dia de los Muertos celebrations include those at the Sherman Gardens, the Bowers Museum, or my family’s favorite, El Centro Cultural de Mexico Noche de Altares in downtown Santa Ana.
These family traditions and annual celebrations honoring family members who have died, are often another loss experienced by youth in foster care. So we also acknowledge Mental Health Awareness month which falls in October. Youth in foster care experience mental health challenges at a rate much higher than the general population, including grief and loss. They experience trauma that brings them into the system and are often further traumatized while navigating the foster care system due to separation from their family and community, instability in placements, and undiagnosed or misdiagnosed mental health conditions.
Up to 50% of youth in care are on psychotropic medications vs 4% of the general youth population. Because of their complex trauma, youth in foster care are nearly five times more likely to experience post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And 80% of youth in foster care have significant mental health issues; mental and behavioral health are some of the biggest unmet needs for youth in foster care.
This is where CASAs can provide a crucial advocacy role. Our CASA volunteers often make recommendations for mental health referrals, adjustments in supports and providers, and monitor the impacts of psychotropic medications on our youth. CASA advocacy can play a crucial role in ensuring appropriate services for youth in foster care. We invite you to check out our website to learn more about how CASAs are advocating for mental health resources for youth in foster care.
Jenny Leon
Chief Program Officer
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