A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a helpful resource for adoptive families and adoption professionals.
On February 12th, 2015, SAMHSA released a brand new report that presents program strategies and research findings specific to internationally and domestically adopted children and their families. It’s entitled, “Domestic and International Adoption: Strategies to Improve Behavioral Health Outcomes for Youth and their Families.”
As per Lisa Rubenstein at SAMHSA, “The report summarizes the findings of a two-day interagency meeting hosted by SAMHSA in August 2012 to discuss the science, policy, and practice related to the behavioral health challenges that may be experienced by children who have been adopted.
The report includes strategies for addressing the behavioral health issues in adoption practices, as well as specific interventions. It also highlights the need for additional research on the behavioral health of children and youth who have been adopted.
Along with SAMHSA, the meeting planning committee for the domestic and international adoption conference included representatives from the Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.”
To review the report, please click on the following link: Domestic and International Adoption: Strategies to Improve Behavioral Health Outcomes for Youth and Their Families