Foster Youth Need Better Access To The Benefits They’re Owed

After my parents passed away, I entered the foster care system, which was challenging due to a lack of proper support. Living in a group home with strangers who didn’t have my best interests was difficult. I was initially supposed to move in with my sister in Virginia, but she was diagnosed with breast cancer, leaving me stuck in foster care. When I inquired about adoption, I was told that my age, 15, made it unlikely. This made me feel hopeless and trapped. I wished for more family support instead of relying on the system. Struggling with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, anger, and suicidal thoughts, I felt the medication prescribed to me was ineffective and controlling, yet I felt compelled to take it while in group homes.