As a nurse, advocate, and alumna of foster care, Delilah Bruskas and the Pacific Northwest Alumni of foster Care (PNAFC), are committed to increasing the awareness of foster care issues through an accepted manuscript titled Adverse childhood experiences and psychosocial well-being of women who were in foster care as children with The Permanente Journal. Briefly, study results found an association between the number of ACEs reported and the degree of mental health problems. Over 56% of women were identified as experiencing psychological distress noted in low Sense of Coherence (SOC) sums (i.e., lesser sense of cohesion and perceived control in one's life) and high General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) sums (i.e., less favorable psychosocial well-being). The most prevalent diagnoses reported were depression (43%) and posttraumatic stress disorder (29%). Ninety-seven percent of respondents reported at least 1 ACE; 70% reported at least 5 or more ACEs while 33% reported 8 or more ACEs. To read the entire article click here.
Legal Nurse Consultant:
Developmental Health of Children in Foster Care
October, 2012 to present
As a Legal Nurse Consultant, Delilah works with attorneys and their clients
involved with the child welfare system to improve and promote optimal developmental health outcomes of children in foster care. This role includes creating and providing relevant research documents for legal representatives and their clients and testifying in court using expertise knowledge as a nurse about developmental health in the context of the social setting of foster care.
University of Washington Nursing and Health Studies
BHLT 497 E Social Justice and Health Care - Bothell, WA
August 1, 2013
The University of Washington-Bothell's Nursing and Health Studies Program provided the founder of the PNAFC an opportunity to speak about the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among children in foster care and both developmental and adult well-being. This presentation emphasized the relationship between developmental health of children and policy and practices associated within specific social settings.
15th Annual Reasonable Efforts Symposium: Best Practices in Dependency
Region 2 North: Survivor-Rising Above Trauma-Arlington, WA
June 14, 2013
The founder of the PNAFC was invited to speak at this year's Reasonable Efforts Symposium. The presentation focused on personal experiences in foster care, resiliency to continue forward towards advanced nursing degrees, and results of recent research. Presentation also focused on how personal experiences and educational background are used to advocate for improving health outcomes of those in and from foster care.
