Further Consideration of Systems, Stigma, Trauma, and Access to Care

Abstract

The commentaries by Williams (2016) and Gartenberg and Lang (2016) on the case of Cathy and her mother Ms. Z (Rogers, Bobich, & Heppell, 2016) explore the similarities between children who have been homeless and those in the foster system, and highlight the importance of trauma-focused treatment to address their mental health needs.  A further consideration of the challenges to obtaining such treatment due to system barriers, stigma, and the intergenerational transmission of trauma is applied to the case of Cathy. This illustrates the importance of an array of mental health treatment options and the ability to transition from one treatment (an Incredible Years [IY]  group) to another (Child-Parent Psychotherapy [CPP]) as opportunities to increase access to needed care for marginalized families.