“I just can’t shake it”: Feeling Trapped by Circumstances

Abstract Chapter 8 begins with an exploration of mental health issues with youth aging out. It includes Malaya’s story, which includes a mental health crisis. The chapter examines how accessing mental health and health services can create extensive stress and debt for youth aging out. Without health insurance the youth can amass substantial debt. The health and mental health concerns that youth experienced were related to living in poverty. The chapter argues that poverty both caused and exacerbated the stressful circumstances. Closely coupled with poverty is the racism that youth aging out faced. The chapter provides multiple examples of how poverty and racism hurt youth aging out.