Listen in as Michelle and Delaney Cain talk about their experiences with the foster system and adoption. Navy veteran and adoptive mom Michelle has experienced living with PTSD first hand. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, or EMDR, reduced her flashbacks and helped her recover. When she became an adoptive mom to Delaney, she paved the way for her to receive EMDR for her PTSD as well. 

Delaney, an adoptee, gives insight into the practices of multiple residentials including Mountain Youth Academy, Parkwood Behavioral Health Systems, and Rose Center. Though these residentials are meant to provide mental health services for foster children, Delaney’s testimony reveals allegedly chaotic and unstable environments. Delaney shared what strategies helped make her adoption a success. 

Both Delaney and Serena lived at Wallace Group home together before Delaney’s adoption and shared memories about the placement. 

Michelle’s interview takes place from 0:00 to 1:13. Delaney’s portion takes place from 1:13 onward. 

Read about sibling groups and placement stability here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7357603/ 

Read about PTSD rates in foster care here: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4114143/

Read about the previous riot at Mountain Youth Academy: https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/mountain-youth-academy-staff-injured-after-6-youths-start-riot/

Access the Youth Villages handbook and the job description for a foster care specialist here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kkCLjXu1Y0InTW3kwIJzQpLXwuheWBq3?usp=sharing