Youth who age out of group homes and transitional living programs with serious mental health needs can abruptly lose critical supports, including housing and mental health treatment access. Little is known about how these particularly vulnerable youth navigate these large shifts in support. Twenty youth diagnosed with serious mental health conditions completed three in-depth interviews (within four-months of planned emancipation and at six- and 12-months post-emancipation). Brief monthly check-ins prevented attrition. Participants transitioned from a receiver/complier role in a mental health treatment context pre-emancipation to a provider/exchanger role in a poverty context post-emancipation. Independence was short-lived post-emancipation; temporary emancipation funds and disability benefits provided a brief cushion. Participants were unprepared for navigation of mutual social support exchanges. Child welfare providers who aim to prepare youth for independence post-emancipation must better understand the social context youth age into, as well as youth’s desired and required resource exchanges.

因严重心理健康需求而退出集体家庭和过渡性生活计划的年轻人可能会突然失去关键支持，包括住房和心理健康治疗机会。人们对这些特别脆弱的青年如何应对这些巨大的支持转变知之甚少。20 名被诊断出患有严重心理健康问题的青年完成了 3 次深度访谈（在计划解放后的四个月内以及在解放后的 6 个月和 12 个月内）。每月简短的检查可防止人员流失。参与者从解放前心理健康治疗环境中的接受者/编译者角色转变为解放后贫困环境中的提供者/交换者角色。解放后的独立是短暂的；临时解放基金和伤残津贴提供了短暂的缓冲。参与者没有为相互社会支持交流的导航做好准备。旨在为青少年做好准备的儿童福利提供者解放后的独立必须更好地了解青年时代所处的社会背景，以及青年渴望和需要的资源交换。