Foster youth have the right to receive mental health services and support in the least restrictive environment appropriate to meet their individual needs as well as continue mental health treatment with the same provider when their placement changes, including when they are moved to a different county (source). Continuum of care can include both medical and other services the client might need to support with the client’s well-being. This may include referring the client for pharmacological treatment but it is important to remember that foster youth have the right to participate in decisions made about the medications they receive. They also need to be informed about the risks and benefits of medications in an age appropriate manner (source). Pharmacotherapy is based on biological theories that anxiety results from dysregulation in specific neural pathways on the central nervous system, leading to alterations in neurotransmitter levels and receptor activity (source). Pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) alters the neural uptake pump for serotonin, causing an increase in the level of serotonin in the pathways to the central nervous system, thereby promoting better regulation (Keeton & Ginsburg, 2008). Medication is rarely used as the sole treatment for anxiety disorders with children and adolescents and is typically one part of the treatment in more serious …show more content…
This bill lists the rights for foster youth relating to mental health services. In addition to the list of rights the bill also includes best practices that mental health and other care providers are expected to follow when working with foster youth. In addition, the bill is not an exhaustive list of rights held by foster youth. Additional rights may be available to foster youth under federal and state law, medical ethics, and best practices (source). Social workers have an ethical responsibility to understand the rights and best practices of this bill when working with this population.
The Social Worker’s Role in the Application of this Intervention Strategy The social worker role has the direct role of delivering the CBT intervention. The social worker provides treatment for the client’s presenting problem through the intervention strategy. When applying CBT, the social worker should be highly structured, have measurable objectives for each session in order to achieve all treatment goals. The social worker should continue to assess throughout each session not just in the beginning to ensure the intervention is meeting the client’s needs and be able to make adjustments when