System fail for Anber, a teen with severe mental health issues? What we learned – News-Press

"Anything terrible that can happen to a child has happened to Anber." Janine Zeitlin & Amanda Inscore talk about what they learned about foster care system, lack of help for those with severe mental health problems after telling Anber'sstory News-Press Staff, Fort Myers News-Press

"Every terrible thing that can happen to a kid has happenedto Anber."

The teenageris part of a group of foster kids with serious mental and behavioral health needs that the Florida foster care system doesnt know what to do with.

At age 9, Anber made national headlines when Lee County sheriff'sdeputies arrested her onfour felony chargesafter a meltdown that began when a school bus driver told her tostop eatingcandy. A deputy took her to jail, whereshe waspepper-sprayed.

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That well-publicized incident should have set off alarm bells; maybe even lead to help.

As it turns out, Anber, who turned 18 on Dec. 13, would struggle for years and bounce from group home to group home to group home.

The News-Press presents an up-close look into the world of Anber in a five-part series.

Our journalists, Janine Zeitlin and Amanda Inscore,documented her year before she aged out of the system for good. Below, Zeitlin and Inscore sharewhat they learned about foster care and the lack of help for those with severe mental health problems after telling Anber's story.

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"There were times when they were like, we didn't know if we were going to eat today. They live day to day," Zeitlin said of Anber and her mother, Dawn Hoshor, who hasbattled her own demons over the years. Anber didn't have basic necessities like underwear and deodorant."When you ask a foster kid, what do you want to do with your life, it's a very difficult question when they don't know where they're staying."

In less than a year in foster care, Anber changed placement17 times.

Her diagnoses havechanged but some have included schizoaffective disorder, conduct disorderand attachment disorder, according to Dawn. School records identifyanemotional or behavioral disability including attention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder and oppositional defiant disorder.

Inscore marveled at how much effort it took to get Anber and those close to her mom Dawn, grandmother Susie Hosher, foster mom Karen Scott the help she needed.

"There are so many hurdles for them to jump through and clear," Inscore said, "to get her counseling and medication and just having enough money to eat and live and get around. It just seems so insurmountable, and I feel so much stress for them."

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During their reporting, Zeitlin and Inscore observed highs and lows in Anber's life. Often, the teen would show them videos on her phone or sing songs. She impressed Inscore with her lyrics to "Deadbeat Daddy."

Inscore only saw her angry one time, when she was triggered by seeing her guardian at litem on her last day in court. "It was pretty intense to see Anberlike that," Inscore said. "You can just feel the tension in the photo (below)."

Dawn Hoshor looks over at Anber while trying to get her to calm down before their last court date on Nov. 21, 2019. Amanda Inscore/The News-Press USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA

One of Anber's most prized possessions is her cell phone. It always seemed like a violation if it was taken away the phone served as a method to communicate with family, a photo album and an outlet to watch funny videos.

"Her phone is her lifeline, it's her history and the only tangible thing she has," Zeitlin said.

Both News-Press journalists have experience producing sensitive or complicated content for the USA TODAY Network. Zeitlin reported on a mental health project last spring. Anber's story, however, surprised this seasoned reporter.

"I had no idea of the depths of placement instability," she said, adding some kids are moving nightly. "It just seems there are massive gaps for kids who have mental health and behavioral healthissues.

"From my perspective, those kids deserve homes, too. As a community, as a state, we need to figure out how to offer them placement stability. Largely they're in that position because of immense childhood trauma," she added.

Inscore agreed: "The system doesn't really seem designed for kids like Anber and kids who come from families like Anber."

When a child is in crisis, Zeitlin cites the system's procedures likea Baker Act and/or mental health evaluations. When that doesn't work, what can we do? she asked.

The processes in place haven't worked for Anber or kids in similar situations.

"We need more programs for kids who have been impacted by trauma," Zeitlin suggested.Screening annually for childhood trauma could be a solution "because there are so many things that are at play when a child is traumatized."

Anber's longtime foster parents, Karen and Bruce Scott, through their local nonprofitKKIDS,Inc., or Keeping Kids in Distress Safe, hope to help the 18-year-old pursue her GED, a drivers license and a job, tapping community mentors to help her learn.

What Anber needs is a team, said Karen Scott.If they want to help Anber tangibly, then I can lead the way.

Anber could also use clothing and shoes and would like a laptop.

To help Anber, contact Karen atkaren@kkidsinc.org.

"I hope they are able to take what help they do get and really utilize it," Inscore said.

Meet Anber, a teen who struggles with mental health. Did the system (repeatedly) fail her?

Anber relocated 17 times during her last year in foster care. She turned 18 on Dec. 13.

Amanda Inscore, AINSCORE@NEWS-PRESS.COM

This project is part of the Mending Minds series, in-depth coverage by The News-Press/Naples Daily Newsto raiseawareness about the shortfalls in children's mental and behavioralhealth services.

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System fail for Anber, a teen with severe mental health issues? What we learned - News-Press