More than half of kids in foster care who need mental health support never get it.

Being removed from family is a deeply traumatic event, regardless of the circumstances that lead up to it. Many children entering care have mental health issues on top of that trauma. They need intensive support, stability, and co-regulation to help them through this difficult time. But with severe provider shortages, long waitlists, and backed up referral pipelines, most of these kids never see any support at all.

Even when kids do receive mental health support in care, it's often inadequate or inappropriate.

Unaddressed mental health issues often show up as reports of behavioral issues and academic struggles. The truth is that these kids are struggling with more stress and cognitive load and aren't getting the right support for it. They often come from home environments that never taught them how to regulate their emotions, express themselves appropriately, or manage their time effectively. Or they came from a home that punished them for having needs.

All of this translates into a desperate need for trauma-informed executive functioning support. But more often than not, kids are diagnosed and put on medication or punished for "bad behavior". A kid who's treated like they're the problem starts to believe it.

Our kids, families, and communities deserve better.

We can't wait for the system to catch up, so Youth LinkUp is training mentors who have already been there to be a supportive resource in foster kids' lives now. Your gift helps us train mentors and make the match with a kid who needs one.

Our mentors are transition-age and former foster youth who have survived the system and are actively developing leadership skills. We pay them a stipend to complete specialized training to provide support to younger kids in care. They learn how to teach coping skills, social skills, and leadership skills to their mentees. Most importantly, they learn to build rapport and connection through shared enrichment activities including sports, music, art, play, and cultural exploration in their community.

We're also developing a virtual and in-person mental health platform for foster youth to link up and talk openly about the unique struggles that come with growing up in care.

Help us grow Youth LinkUp

You don't have to fix the whole system to change one kid's life. You just have to help us put someone in their corner who's already been there.

Give today. Whatever you donate through this page or drop in the jar at one of our popup lemonade stands goes straight to training a mentor and matching them with a kid who needs one.

About Us

The Trauma & Executive Functioning Institute (TEFI) improves daily life through trauma-informed research, public health education, and innovative tools that support stability, clarity, and functional well-being. We turn evidence into practical solutions that help people learn, work, heal, and thrive.

Our Common Frequency programs create structured opportunities for individuals and communities to connect and engage with creative expression, hands-on making, critical cultural analysis, and enrichment activities to support mental health and executive functioning. Youth LinkUp is a Common Frequency initiative.

Common Frequency: Youth LinkUp Summer Popup Fundraiser Series

Your donation connects a kid in foster care with a peer mentor who lived through it too.