Dedrick Lenox California State University, Long Beach May, 2013

There are at minimum 408,425 children in the United States foster care system (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2010). Mental health issues and the associated problems are a concern within this population as research suggests that up to 75% of children entering the foster care system have behavioral, social, and emotional issues (Landsverk, Burns, Stambaugh, & Rolls Reutz, 2009).  Specifically, for the residential placement population, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and substance abuse are the most commonly diagnosed disorders (Landsverk et al., 2009).  Mental health issues affecting adolescents in foster care, such as ADHD, are indicated to impair academic performance (Gapin, Labban, & Etnier, 2011).  For foster youth, childhood maltreatment is another factor believed to cause mental health issues such as: post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Jaffee & Maikovich-Fong, 2011).

 The purpose of this project is to develop a grant to fund a Music Therapy program at Children Are Our Future (CAOF) which is a residential placement center for foster and probation youth (CAOF, 2012). The purpose for establishing a Music Therapy program is to target areas of mental health impeding client development in the psychosocial domain and to analyze the benefits of implementing creative therapies at CAOF in order to ensure that the clinical needs of all residents are being met.

 Knowledge of Music Therapy, as an alternative form of therapy, can ensure that social workers are staying relevant with their continued education while in the field, thus keeping in line with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) (2012) Code of Ethics.  Social workers can assist agencies in developing Music Therapy programs that are relevant to their client’s mental health treatment plans based on current societal trends and best practices.  Social workers should ensure that adolescents in residential placement secure a positive psychosocial foundation before they exit treatment.

 Current foster care statistics in Los Angeles County are as follows: Whites represent 11.6%, Hispanics represent 58.3%, African-Americans represent 26.6%, Asian/ Pacific Islanders represent 1.9%, American-Indian/ Alaskan Natives represent 0.5%, Filipinos represent 0.6%, and ethnicities that fall under the category of other represent 0.6% (LACDCFS, 2012).  Music is a cross cultural form of expression.  Cultural considerations will be set in place.

 The target population this grant intends to service are the foster care youth residing at the residential placement agency Children Are Our Future.  Potential funding for this grant was searched and located at the Ventura County Community Foundation.  For the purpose of this grant the Weingart Foundation was selected as a potential funding source.  Sources used for the needs assessment were retrieved from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, The Child Information Gateway, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services database, California State University of Long Beach Library, and the American Music Therapy Association website.  The projected budget for this program is $82, and to cover the costs of this program $60, was established through in-kind-donations and the writer requested a grant for $21, to cover the remaining balance.

 This project will be a new alternative, voluntary therapy program offered to all residents at the CAOF organization.  The overarching goal of the program is to add an additional clinical and evidence-based intervention that incorporates a creative component designed to assist in the pro-psychological and social development of adolescent foster youth in residential placement.  Grant funds will be used to contract a certified music therapist, as well as to purchase all necessary equipment to implement the program.  The population served are foster care and probation residents at Children Are Our future which includes male and female residents between the ages of  The program can be sustained for approximately one fiscal year and measures have been included to test for its effectiveness in order to maintain the program beyond the first year of implementation.

 Music therapy will be used to help residents challenged by mental health issues that include, but are not limited to the following disorders: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bi-polar disorder, depression, substance abuse, and post traumatic stress disorder.  In order to ensure the efficiency of the program a social worker and music therapist will analyze every candidate’s initial psychosocial assessment and devise short term and long term goals that can be accomplished by the resident.  Music therapy sessions will last two hours and will be conducted at four different residential sites (houses) once a week and may service up to 48 residents in total.  Program evaluations will be conducted through the dissemination of surveys taken by residents and staff members.

 Keep accurate records of all research information.  Multiple databases provide a wider variety of research information.  The grant writing process is easier to adjust to when the writer is passionate about the topic.  Completely understand the potential grant funder in order to make an appropriate match.  Before choosing a grant topic make sure to brainstorm multiple ideas.  Music Therapy is a captivating form of therapy for some adolescents which may be the most effective intervention for adolescents who have not responded to other forms of therapy.

 Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2012). Foster care statistics Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau.  Children Are Our Future. (2012). Residents demographics. Retrieved from  Gapin, G.I., Labban, J.D., Etnier, J.L. (2011). The effects of physical activity on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: The evidence. Preventive Medicine, 52, S70-S74.  Jaffee, S. R., & Maikovich-Fong, A. (2011). Effects of chronic maltreatment and maltreatment timing on children's behavior and cognitive abilities. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 52(2),  Landsverk, J. A., Burns, B. J., Stambaugh, L., & Rolls Reutz, J. A. (2009). Psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents in foster care: Review of research literature. Child Welfare, 88 (1),  Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. (2012). Fact sheet child welfare services. Retrieved from  National Association of Social Workers (2012). Code of ethics. Retrieved from