“It is an incredible honor to be recognized with the 2024 Governor’s Spirit of Service Award. This recognition is deeply validating, as working in the mental health and child welfare space can be both rewarding and challenging. Being acknowledged for my contributions to these systems is truly humbling.
Much of my work is shaped by my lived experience within the child welfare system. I collaborate closely with state and national organizations and programs including Utah’s Court Improvement Program and Mental Health America’s Young Leaders Council, to create meaningful changes that improve the lives of young adults and families.
Cadon receiving his award from the Governor and Lt. Governor.
My long-term goal is to earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology and establish my own practice, where I will work with youth and young adults impacted by the child welfare system. I aim to take a holistic approach to mental health care, moving beyond simply diagnosing or overmedicating. My focus is on understanding and addressing the broader context of their challenges, including community support systems and the relationships with adults in their lives, to help them navigate and improve their circumstances.
One of the critical issues I am passionate about addressing is the lack of awareness and enforcement of youth rights. Many youth in foster care are unaware of their rights and lack access to them. For instance, while Utah has a foster care bill of rights, these rights are often not upheld by foster parents or placements. My work focuses on creating systems at the state and national levels to ensure that if rights are violated, there is a clear, actionable path to resolve those issues.
Receiving this award is a surreal and deeply meaningful moment. Growing up in and out of the child welfare system was undeniably difficult, but it also shaped who I am today. When people ask me if I would change anything about my experience in foster care, my answer is always no. Those experiences have provided me with unique perspectives and opportunities to understand the complexities of these systems and work toward fixing them from the ground up.”
—Cardon Sagendorf, undergraduate majoring in psychology, and 2024 Governor’s Spirit of Service Award recipient