Foster care proponents back mental health bill of rights

Foster care proponents back mental health bill of rights | Local News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

SACRAMENTO - Former foster children from Inland Southern California rallied at the Capitol on Monday to urge support for legislation meant to improve mental health treatment in the state's foster care system.

"They just observe them and ... they say, 'You're ADHD,' " said Mirian Lara, 18, of Riverside, referring to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Lara and several young adults from the Inland area were among about 200 former foster children who came to Sacramento as part of the annual California Youth Connection conference. The group advocates for improving conditions for the 75,000 children and teen-agers in foster care in the state.

The organization's latest effort is to pass recently introduced legislation that would create a Foster Youth Mental Health Bill of Rights.

Under the bill, foster youth would get the right to interview therapists, to be presented with a range of treatment options, and to be able to refuse medical treatment unless a judge orders it.

Foster children have to cope with the dissolution of their families. In addition, many have been the victims of abuse, neglect or other mistreatment.