It’s Complicated: Mental Health and Foster Care

Kat, Elyzabeth, Alexis, and Esme talk about the unique challenges (former) foster youth face when accessing the mental healthcare services they need. Esme, Community Policy Associate, Mental Health Team at National Center for Youth Law, points to key resources that you might find useful, drawn from “A Young Person’s Guide to Accessing Affordable Mental Health Care.” Guests share their stories, including the little and big ways that they take care of themselves. As always, we keep it real.

Host Bio: Kat (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

Guest Bio: Elyzabeth (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Alexis (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Esmeralda Cortez Rosales (she/her), Community Policy Associate on the Mental Health Team at National Center for Youth Law

Abortion Care According to Former Foster Youth

RHEP Youth Advisory Board members Tamar, Phillisha, and Cody discuss abortion care in this open, unflinchingly honest episode.  They share what went into their own decisions when they were pregnant, expand on different kinds of abortion (medication or procedural), explain how to weigh your options, lean on supportive people & more. Alex Morse, Planned Parenthood Community Health Educator, joins the conversation and gives accurate, easy-to-understand abortion care information. It’s your choice—but you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Host Bio: Tamar  (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

Guest Bio: Phillisha (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Alex Morse (they/them/theirs), Planned Parenthood Community Health Educator; Brandy (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

What Foster Youth Need To Know About Prenatal Care

What should foster youth expect from pregnancy and prenatal care? Kat, Cody, Phillisha and Sarah talk about getting the care you need leading up to birth, which is known as prenatal care. They dive into getting the support you need from the medical system, building your own support system, and exploring the  parts of pregnancy or starting a family that people who have been in foster care might experience differently. Plus, they share helpful pre and post-natal resources that helped them and could help you, too.

Host Bio: Kat (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

Guest Bio: Cody (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Phillisha (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Sarah Ferguson (she/they), Birthing The Block

Former Foster Youth On Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections

Let’s talk about how to stay safe and prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also known as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We discuss methods for safe sex, relatable accounts of what it’s like to navigate the healthcare system with an STI, shaking off stigma, being open and feeling safe with partners, and more. Tamar and Cody of RHEP’s Youth Advisory Board are joined by Lonnell Schuler, Black Women for Wellness, program lead for Get Smart B4U Get Sexy.

Host Bio: Tamar (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

Guest Bio: Cody (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Lonnell Schuler (he/him), Black Women for Wellness, program lead for Get Smart B4U Get Sexy

How Can Foster Youth Use Birth Control on Their Terms?

How do hormonal and non-hormonal birth control methods work? How can you properly use birth control? As a young person in the foster care system, how can you advocate for yourself? The good news is there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s all about what works best for you.  Kat and Brandy of RHEP’s Youth Advisory Board talk about their personal experiences with birth control and provide an overview of the variety of birth control methods available.

Host Bio: Kat (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

Guest Bio: Brandy (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

What Are Foster Youth’s Rights To Healthcare?

Did you know that there is a Foster Youth Bill of Rights?. These rights ensure that foster youth have the opportunity to get the healthcare they need and deserve— including sexual & reproductive services.Tamar and Alexis of RHEP’s Youth Advisory Board sit down with Rebecca Gudeman, a lawyer and the Senior Director of Health at National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), to highlight many of these rights for youth in California and to talk about what often gets in the way of youth in care being able to fully benefit from them. Bottom line: you have the right to make decisions about your own body.

Host Bio: Tamar (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member

Guest Bio: Alexis (she/her) former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Rebecca Gudeman (she/her), Senior Director of Health, National Center for Youth Law

Self-Taught: Former Foster Youth on Sex, Health, and Life

Welcome to Self-Taught: Former Foster Youth on Sex, Health, and Life, a podcast from foster youth for foster youth. In foster care systems, there aren’t always people to answer your big questions or open up to concerning sensitive topics. That’s why we’re bringing these conversations to you! Hosts and guests discuss puberty, relationships, sexual health, identity, & more in unfiltered conversations that we wish could have been part of our upbringing. We hope these episodes spark questions, provide helpful resources and community, and leave you feeling empowered.

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Self-Taught: Former Foster Youth on Sex, Health, and Life is hosted by the Youth Advisory Board of the Reproductive Health Equity Project at the National Center for Youth Law and supported through a grant to the National Center for Youth Law from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Debt After Death