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Okay, I've been lurking for some time now, but I read this thread and just had to respond. I am a new foster parent and have only had one placement so far. I have a medical history of depression/anxiety and am being treated with medication. I was completely honest about this on all my paperwork and had no problem being certified. True, depression is a mental illness, but none the less an illness. It is caused by an imbalance in the chemicals of the brain. It can be treated/managed with perscription medicine and talk therapy. It is no different than any other medical condition, be it Diabetes or high cholesterol. It's sad that people have a stigma about mental illness....you wouldn't think twice about telling someone you take insulin for your Diabetes. I really don't belive that part about DHS taking your foster kids because you have a mental illness and are being treated for it. It's those people who are unwilling to seek treatment, because of fear that they may be seen as unfit to parent, who are the bigger threat. In many cases it is the reason that children are removed. In those situations the parents are unable to function because they have an illness that has not been treated. If you talk openly and honestly with people, you will find out that mental illness is very common. Everyone suffers from depression at some point, to some degree, from a case of the blues to severe depression. The important thing is to recognize you are not well and seek medical treatment.
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