Foster Care Youth Face Lower Life Expectancy

A new decree published in the official journal provides mental health access to 385,000 minors in foster care or family placement. The measure follows January announcements by the Minister of Health regarding children in social assistance. The initiative aims to support youth who have been identified as having disabilities or poor mental health. This access is part of a broader effort to address health disparities in child welfare. Implementation follows a report highlighting the vulnerability of these specific demographics. Young people in French child social assistance programs have a life expectancy 20 years lower than their peers. These youths account for half of all hospitalizations in child psychiatry. Many individuals in this group suffer from early-onset multiple traumas.