It is critical to raise awareness in the community about the acceptable ways to care for orphans and children needing foster care. In order for this awareness to happen, our scholars and imams need to have clear guidelines developed that can be taught and shared to the community. In addition to the Islamic perspective, the emotional and mental health needs of orphans and children needing foster care must be understood and addressed. Children who lose their primary caregiver often experience attachment issues that can have long term emotional effects, such as feelings of insecurity, difficulty trusting in relationships, depression, etc. In addition, children that have lost parents due to a traumatic experience such as war, torture or persecution, have the additional effects created by post-traumatic stress disorder.
As strategies for addressing the needs of orphans are developed, it is important to have multi-disciplinary conversations, to ensure that planned solutions are comprehensive and address the psycho-social and spiritual needs of the individuals involved.
MUSLIM ORGANIZATION ON MENTAL HEALTH & COUNSELING
The Institute of Muslim Mental Health is a non-profit organization dedicated to its CORE mission: Community Outreach, Research, and Education.
Khalil Center is a social and spiritual community wellness center designed to address the widespread prevalence of social, psychological, familial, relational and spiritual issues of Muslim communities. Khalil Center’s approach emphasizes: psychological reconstruction, behavioral reformation and spiritual elevation. The Khalil Center is a community partner of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.