Youth Mental Health in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program: Findings from a Descriptive Study [acf.hhs.gov]

Introduction

Research Questions

1. What are the perspectives of URM program staff, foster parents, and youth on prevalence of mental health conditions and use of mental health services?
2. How do URM programs support URM youth mental health?
3. What are the challenges and successes in providing mental health services in the URM Program?

Refugee children are often exposed to numerous traumatic experiences and events. While individual responses to traumatic events vary widely, sustained exposure can lead to toxic stress and the development of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Research also indicates that refugee children who are separated from their parents/caregivers are at increased risk for development of mental health conditions compared to youth who are not separated. Despite these increased risks, refugee youth are less likely to access mental health services and more likely to have an unmet need for these services than their peers.

The Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Program serves refugees and other eligible youth within the United States who do not have a parent or relative available to care for them. This report summarizes findings related to mental health from the Descriptive Study of the URM Program. The study examined perspectives from program staff, foster parents, and youth on the prevalence of mental health conditions, the use of mental health services, and challenges and successes in providing these services. The findings are most relevant to those involved in operating the URM Program but may also be of interest to others who serve youth who are recent immigrants or refugees and have experienced traumatic events.

[Please click here to access the report.]