Abstract
Clinical program directors from 59 residential treatment facilities responded to an online survey addressing the representation of adopted youth currently being served by their organization, the extent to which adoption issues are incorporated into clinical intake and treatment processes, and the training needs of clinical staff related to adoption. Results indicated that adopted youth are disproportionately represented in these programs. Although constituting slightly more than 2% of the U.S. child population, 25–30% of youth currently enrolled in these programs were adopted. Clinical directors reported that most clinical staff had received at least a moderate level of training in adoption-related issues and typically integrated them into the assessment and treatment processes. However, they also viewed additional adoption-related training as important for their mental health staff. In addition, adopted youth were viewed by clinical directors as manifesting a higher rate of adjustment difficulties in a number of areas compared to non-adopted youth. Results are discussed in terms of risk factors associated with adoption and the need for adoption clinical training for mental health professionals in residential treatment centers.