According to the Casey National Alumni Study, over 20 percent of former foster youth experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — five times the rate at which the disorder affects the general population.  Additionally, the recovery rate for these youth, at 28.2 percent, is much lower than the general population, at 47 percent.  From this data, it is clear that the foster youth population is in great need of access to mental health services to assist them in recovery from PTSD as well as other diagnoses.  Dr. Toni Heineman saw and responded to this need when she founded A Home Within in 1994, right here in San Francisco.  A Home Within works with licensed volunteer therapists to provide free weekly therapy to current and former foster youth for as long as is needed.  Since expanding nationally in 2001, A Home Within has served 900 children in 22 states.  For more information about this program, visit their website, or this recent feature in The Huffington Post.