Found 119 matches.
-
Mental Health-to-Incarceration Pipeline - Infographic
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Advocacy | NJJN Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
Helping children find a path to success means providing the needed mental health support. In too many communities, failures in our public health systems and schools means the youth legal system becomes the default mental health provider.
-
Mental Health-to-Incarceration Pipeline Pt. 1 - Infographic (Image)
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Advocacy
Helping children find a path to success means providing the needed mental health support. In too many communities, failures in our public health systems and schools means the youth legal system becomes the default mental health provider.
-
Mental Health-to-Incarceration Pipeline Pt. 2 - Infographic (Image)
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Advocacy
Helping children find a path to success means providing the needed mental health support. In too many communities, failures in our public health systems and schools means the youth legal system becomes the default mental health provider.
-
The Positive School Discipline Institute: Envisioning a Different Way Forward
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Presentations
Presentation by JauNae Hanger, JD, President and Executive Director of the The Children’s Policy and Law Initiative of Indiana. Presented during a webinar hosted by NJJN: Ending Punitive School Discipline and Pivoting to Positive Initiatives, March 15, 2022.
-
.png)
2021 NJJN Policy Platform - Keep Children with Mental Health Challenges out of the Youth Legal System
Tags: Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Advocacy | NJJN Publications
NJJN's 2021 Policy Platform provides recommendations to keep children with mental health challenges out of the youth legal system.
-
Shut Down Sequel: Progress Report
Tags: Alabama | California | Michigan | Minnesota | Ohio | Oregon | Utah | Deinstitutionalization | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Privatization | Advocacy | NJJN Publications
Shut Down Sequel Progress Report, outlining progress made in our efforts to shut down Sequel facilities and advocate for systemic reforms. NJJN repeats its call for states to end ties with Sequel, but compel states to go further in implementing protections for kids by: 1) ending the use of for-profit facilities for youth, 2) banning the use of restraint, and 3) bringing youth home, prioritizing community-based care over harmful congregate care settings.
-
Intersectional Justice in Practice
Tags: Federal | North Carolina | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Prevention | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Victims | Advocacy | Presentations | Reports | Research | Partner Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
This powerpoint from NJJN Forum 2018 was put together by Ames Simmons, Director of Transgender Policy at Equality North Carolina, and addresses potential legislative responses to discriminatory policies and practices that unfairly target LGBTQ youth.
-
LGBTQI Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings: Closing the Gap between Recommended Practice and Reality
Tags: Federal | New York | Collateral Consequences | Crime Data and Statistics | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Prevention | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Evidence-Based Practices | Advocacy | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Legislation | Presentations | Reports | Research | Partner Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
This presentation from NJJN Forum 2018 was developed by Currey Cook, Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project Director at Lambda Legal, and provides information on how LGBTQ youth are disproportionately represented in the justice system and legal protections granted to members of the LGBTQ community.
-
NORCOR_DRO_Don't Look Around-A Window into Inhumane Conditions for Youth ...
Tags: Oregon | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Youth in the Adult System | Correctional Education | Reports | Research | Member Publications
The report shows the fact and statistics of youths being incarcerated in correctional facilities in Oregon. Due to the fact that a lot of facilities are not regulated, the safe and humane conditions for youth in such facilities have become a big concern. The lack of oversight and accountability has allowed Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility (NORCOR), for example, to neglect the basic mental health and social development needs of kids in custody. Disability Rights Oregon is calling for immediate implementation of the 2016 recommendation by the Oregon State Court Juvenile Justice Mental Health Task Force: that all child-serving systems commit to employing evidence-based, trauma-informed practices and that juvenile detention facilities be regulated and licensed.
-
ADDRESSING THE INTERSECTIONS OF JUVENILE JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS: PRINCIPLES FOR CHANGE
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Evidence-Based Practices | Reports | Research | Partner Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
Coalition for Juvenile Justice reports ways to ensure young people do not experience homelessness as a result of involvement with the juvenile justice system, and likewise do not become involved with the justice system because of a lack of housing.
-
Charging Youth As Adults Is Ineffective, Bias-Fraught & Harmful
Tags: California | Brain and Adolescent Development | Collateral Consequences | Crime Data and Statistics | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Risk Assessment and Screening | Youth in the Adult System | Victims | Evidence-Based Practices | Legislation | Reports | Research
Prop. 57 passed this past November, one section took away from prosecutors the power to cause a young person to be tried as an adult out, and gave the power back to judges. The report includes disproportionality of race and geography in adult sentencing.
-
HOW SHOULD JUSTICE POLICY TREAT YOUNG OFFENDERS?
Tags: National | Brain and Adolescent Development | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Evidence-Based Practices | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Research | Partner Publications
Research findings show that adolescents differ from adults in brain development and function, as well as behaviors. Current research identify differences in the brains of young adults, aged 18 to 21, indicating that they too may be immature in ways that are relevant to justice policy.
-
A stolen cellphone, then an odyssey through Maryland's juvenile justice system
Tags: Maryland | Aftercare/Reentry | Brain and Adolescent Development | Collateral Consequences | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Family and Youth Involvement | Institutional Conditions | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Prevention | Victims | Restorative Justice | Correctional Education | Media | Reports
A thirteen year old boy was with a group of boys who had stolen a cell phone. The counsellors and attorney argued that restorative action be administered as a best outcome. The Judge disagreed and ordered a 90 day term in a juvenile detention.
-
The Harms of Juvenile Detention
Tags: Federal | Aftercare/Reentry | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports | Research | Partner Publications
This infographic outlines the harms of juvenile detention on youth. Increased involvement in the justice system causes lack of access to education and poor mental health outcomes for youth.
-
People Are More Important Than Buildings
Tags: Connecticut | Aftercare/Reentry | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Member Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
This article addresses the issues of incarceration of youth in facilities that are very expensive and ineffective in dealing with youth who break the law. "People Are More Important Than Buildings", discusses steps Connecticut could and should take to hold our youth accountable while still treating them with dignity and respect.
-
Fight for Our Girls: Status Offenses
Tags: National | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Girls | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Status Offenses | Reports | Research
This resource from the Center for the Study of Social Policy unpacks the history of girls of color's interaction with the justice system through the disproportionate application of status offense statues.
-
Trends in Juvenile Justice State Legislation 2011-2015
Tags: National | Aftercare/Reentry | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Crossover and Dual Jurisdiction Youth | Deinstitutionalization | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
National Conference of State Legislatures tracks trends in state legislation of youth justice reform for 2011-2015. Specific trends have emerged to: Restore jurisdiction to the juvenile court, divert youth from the system, reform detention, shift resources from incarceration to community-based alternatives, provide strong public defense for youth, address racial and ethnic disparities in justice systems, respond more effectively to the mental health needs of young offenders, and improve re-entry and aftercare programs for youth.
-
Are We Closing the School Discipline Gap? (Center for Civil Rights Remedies)
Tags: National | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Reports
The main body of this report from the Center for Civil Rights Remedies documents gross disparities in the use of out-of-school suspension experienced by students with disabilities and those from historically disadvantaged racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups. The egregious disparities revealed in the pages that follow transform concerns about educational policy that allows frequent disciplinary removal into a profound matter of civil rights and social justice. This implicates the potentially unlawful denial of educational opportunity and resultant disparate impact on students in numerous districts across the country.
-
Psychiatric Disorders and Violence: A Study of Delinquent Youth After Detention
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Research
This study examines the relationship between psychiatric disorders and violence in youth post-detention. The study finds that the disorders studied are not useful predictors of future violence.
-
Judicial Leadership to Address Adolescent Mental Health Needs
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Large numbers of youth involved with the juvenile justice system have significant mental health and substance abuse issues. Many of these youth could be better served in community settings, and juvenile court judges can lead or support community efforts to develop improved policies and service delivery strategies for these youth.
-
Missouri S.B. 36 -
Tags: Missouri | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Text of Missouri S.B. 36, 2013, or "Jonathan's Law," which provides new guidelines expanding the possibility of dual jurisdiction for youth in the adult justice system.
-
Class Action Litigation Involving Special Education Claims for Youth in Juvenile and Adult Correctional Facilities
Tags: National | Aftercare/Reentry | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Correctional Education | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Reports
This document from the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice lists class action litigation that has been undertaken regarding special education for youth and adults in the justice system.
-
Highlights from Pathways to Desistance: A Longitudinal Study of Serious Adolescent Offenders
Tags: National | Aftercare/Reentry | Brain and Adolescent Development | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Evidence-Based Practices | Reports | Research
The Pathways to Desistance Study is a large collaborative multidisciplinary project that is following 1,354 serious juvenile offenders age 14-18 for 7 years after their conviction. The primary findings of the study to date deal with the decrease in self-reported offending over time by most serious adolescent offenders, the relative inefficacy of longer juvenile incarcerations in decreasing recidivism, the effectiveness of community-based supervision, and the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment in reducing both substance use and offending.
-
Behavioral Health Problems, Treatment, and Outcomes in Serious Youthful Offenders
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Reports | Research
Research done by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, provides pathways to desistance for youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system. This can be accomplished by focusing on mental health needs, behavioral health problems, and following up with these youth once care has been adminstered.
-
Trauma and Resilience A New Look at Legal Advocacy for youth in the juvenile justice and child welfar systems
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Research
This research addresses trauma in the juvenile justice system and child welfare cases. Both "trauma" and "resilience" are defined in terms of their relation to the juvenile justice system and neither have the same meaning across our diverse youth population. Several factors such as stressors, environment, and experiences contribute to personal definitions of "trauma" and "resilience."
-
Helping Families to Support their LGBT Children
Tags: National | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released this practitioners' guide to helping families support their LGBT children.
-
The State of America's Children - 2014 Report
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Crossover and Dual Jurisdiction Youth | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports | Partner Publications
The Children's Defense Fund's annual report detailing the current status of multiple issues that affect children, including juvenile justice and youth incarceration.
-
Better Solutions for Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Evidence-Based Practices | Reports
This paper, from the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice and the MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change Initiative, discusses evidence-based practices for identifying and treating youth with mental health issues before they reach the youth justice system.
-
Time for a Check-Up: How Advocates Can Help Youth in the Juvenile Justice System Get the Mental Health Services They Need
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | NJJN Publications
This policy update is an easy-to-understand resource to guide advocates through the Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA requirements they will need to understand to bring adequate mental health services to youth in the juvenile justice system. (Photo: Flickr member Nicolas Raymond, under Creative Commons license.)
-
Functional Impairment in Delinquent Youth
Tags: Illinois | National | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
OJJDP bulletin that examines the results of the Northwestern Juvenile Project - a long-term study of youth detained in a Chicago area detention facility. The bulletin addresses youth functional impairment in the school, work, home, and community settings; and in terms of behavior toward others, mood and psychiatric concerns, self-harm, substance use, and rational thought assessed 3 years after the youth were released from detention.
-
Nebraska Establishes Commission to Study Juvenile Justice Facilities and Services, Juvenile Services (OJS) Committee Phase I Strategic Recommendations
Tags: Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation | Reports
The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Children’s Commission as a permanent forum for collaboration among state, local, community, public, and private stakeholders in child welfare and juvenile justice programs and services. The Juvenile Services (OJS) Committee was also established as a subcommittee of the Nebraska Children’s Commission, with the mandate to review the role and effectiveness of Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers (YRTCs), including what populations should be served, what treatment services should be provided at YRTCs, how mental and behavioral health services are provided to youth in secure residential placements, and the need for such services in Nebraska’s juvenile justice system. The committee’s December 2013 report includes recommendations related to foundational system principles and a core framework for the system, legal system changes, YRTC facilities and services, and behavioral and mental health systems of care. L.B. 821, signed into law April 11, 2012; effective April 12, 2012 and L.B. 561 signed into law May 29, 2013; effective September 6, 2013.
-
National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention Releases Life-Saving Juvenile Justice System Resources
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Media
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's resources regarding suicide prevention in the youth justice system.
-
Cross-System Collaboration: NCTSN Trauma-Informed Approach Brief
Tags: Crossover and Dual Jurisdiction Youth | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services, released six online briefs in September, 2013. This brief, authored by Macon Stewart, discusses the cross-system partnerships necessary to effectively address youth trauma.
-
Racial Disparities and the Juvenile Justice System: A Legacy of Trauma - NCTSN Trauma-Informed Approach Brief
Tags: Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Mental Health Services, released six online briefs in September, 2013. This brief outlines the problem of racial disparities in the juvenile justice system, how these disparities contribute to youth trauma, and possible ways to address this problem.
-
The Role of Family Engagement in Creating Trauma-Informed Juvenile Justice Systems: NCTSN Trauma-Informed Approach Brief
Tags: Family and Youth Involvement | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Mental Health Services, released six online briefs in September, 2013. This brief, penned by Liane Rozzell, outlines why family involvement is a crucial element of trauma-informed care.
-
Trauma and Environment of Care in Juvenile Institutions: NCTSN Trauma-Informed Approaches Brief
Tags: Deinstitutionalization | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Mental Health Services, released six online briefs in September, 2013. This brief outlines how the environment of secure confinement facilities can traumatize youth or exacerbate existing trauma.
-
Trauma-Informed Assessment and Intervention: NCTSN Trauma-Informed Approaches Brief
Tags: General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Mental Health Services, released six online briefs in September, 2013. This brief outlines methods by which youth trauma can be detected and assessed, and how trauma-informed interventions can be implemented into the existing juvenile justice system.
-
Trauma-Informed Juvenile Justice Roundtable: Current Issues and New Directions in Creating Trauma-Informed Juvenile Justice Systems - NCTSN Trauma-Informed Approach Brief
Tags: General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, a program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Mental Health Services, released six online briefs in September, 2013. This brief outlines the most up-to-date issues and ideas in trauma-informed approaches.
-
Wyoming Department of Family Services Budget Footnote Study
Tags: Wyoming | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Summarizes a review of Wyoming's use of residential treatment beds for youth in the justice system, both in-state and out-of-state, and makes recommendations for improvement.
-
Ohio’s Budget Directs Funding to Youth in the Juvenile Justice System, H.B. 59
Tags: Ohio | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Evidence-Based Practices | Legislation
Ohio’s FY 2014-15 budget bill contained provisions benefiting youth in the justice system. First, the law establishes that the Ohio Office of the Public Defender is to provide legal assistance to youth in Department of Youth Services (DYS) facilities. In addition, the budget provides that DYS can use up to 45 percent of the savings stemming from facility closures to expand evidence-based community programs, including those funded through the Targeted RECLAIM and Behavioral Health and Juvenile Justice initiatives. H.B. 59, signed into law and effective June 30, 2013.
-
10 Steps for Implementing Mental Health Screening
Tags: National | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This tool offers 10 essential tips for juvenile facilities or agencies considering implementing mental health screenings.
-
Oklahoma Emphasizes Individualized Treatment for Youth, S.B. 679
Tags: Oklahoma | Aftercare/Reentry | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
The Oklahoma State Legislature passed a law emphasizing individualized treatment and best practices for youth rehabilitation and reentry. The law also expands the definition of community-based facilities to cover 24-hour emergency living accommodations for youth in crisis (including those involved with law enforcement or the courts). These accommodations may provide care, education, mental health services, and other services to address trauma and aid in the transition to permanent placement. S.B. 679/Act No. 404, signed into law May 31, 2013; effective November 1, 2013.
-
2013 Juvenile Justice Reform Legislation: House Bill 242, JustGeorgia Summary
Tags: Georgia | Family and Youth Involvement | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Youth in the Adult System | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Legislation | Member Publications
JustGeorgia provides a detailed summary of the changes to Georgia's juvenile code enacted through H.B. 242.
-
Washington Encourages Diversion and Treatment for Youth with Mental Health Issues, H.B. 1524
Tags: Washington | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Acknowledging the high number of youth entering the juvenile justice system with mental health problems and the importance of diverting such youth into mental health treatment, the Washington State Legislature increased diversion opportunities for youth suspected of suffering from mental disorders. The law authorizes police to take youth who have committed non-serious offenses and are suspected of having mental disorders to an evaluation and treatment facility. Youth must be examined within three hours of arrival at these facilities and may be held for up to 12 hours. The legislation also specifically authorizes courts to assess diverted youth or youth who are granted deferred dispositions for substance abuse and mental health problems, and to order outpatient treatment if such assessments indicate it is warranted, but has not been identified as net-widening. H.B. 1524/Act No. 179, signed into law May 8, 2013; effective July 28, 2013.
-
South Dakota Adds Competency Protections for Youth with Mental Illness or Developmental Disability
Tags: South Dakota | Brain and Adolescent Development | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
South Dakota now allows a youth, the state, or the court to raise the issue of a youth’s competency to proceed at any point in a juvenile case if there is reasonable cause to believe the youth is suffering from a mental illness or developmental disability that renders the youth incompetent to proceed. If the court finds that a competency determination is necessary, it must order an evaluation of the youth by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist within 30 days. All proceedings must be suspended pending the outcome of the competency determination. Examiners must evaluate the youth’s capacity to understand the allegations in the petition, ability to understand the nature of the adversarial process, understand the range of possible dispositions, effectively assist his or her attorney, and testify in court. H.B. 1073/Act No. 121, signed into law March 4, 2013; effective July 1, 2013.
-
OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin - The Northwestern Juvenile Project: Overview
Tags: Federal | Illinois | Aftercare/Reentry | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Research
This bulletin reviews the Northwestern Juvenile Project, the first large-scale, prospective longitudinal study of drug, alcohol, and psychiatric disorders in a diverse sample of juvenile detainees from Cook County, IL.
-
Executive Summary - Handle with Care: Serving the Mental Health Needs of Young Offenders
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This resource provides recommendations for providing effective mental health services to youth in the juvenile justice system.
-
Legislature Sets Juvenile Competency Standards for Michigan Courts, H.B. 4555
Tags: Michigan | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Michigan passed two laws that set new competency standards for juvenile proceedings. The laws establish a presumption of incompetence for any child under age 10, and a process for attorneys to raise competency issues for youth 10 and older in juvenile court; require that examiners have experience and expertise in child and adolescent forensic evaluations; require use of the Juvenile Adjudicative Competency Interview (JACI) or similarly-approved evaluative instrument; require youth to be placed in the least restrictive environment while awaiting and undergoing evaluations; and create an avenue for competency restoration before prosecution proceeds, or, in some cases, provision of mental health services if competency cannot be restored. S.B. 246/Act No. 541 and H.B. 4555/Act No. 540, signed into law January 2, 2013; effective March 28, 2013.
-
Legislature Sets Juvenile Competency Standards for Michigan Courts, S.B. 246
Tags: Michigan | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Michigan passed two laws that set new competency standards for juvenile proceedings. The laws establish a presumption of incompetence for any child under age 10, and a process for attorneys to raise competency issues for youth 10 and older in juvenile court; require that examiners have experience and expertise in child and adolescent forensic evaluations; require use of the Juvenile Adjudicative Competency Interview (JACI) or similarly-approved evaluative instrument; require youth to be placed in the least restrictive environment while awaiting and undergoing evaluations; and create an avenue for competency restoration before prosecution proceeds, or, in some cases, provision of mental health services if competency cannot be restored. S.B. 246/Act No. 541 and H.B. 4555/Act No. 540, signed into law January 2, 2013; effective March 28, 2013.
-
Defending Childhood: Report of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence
Tags: Federal | Brain and Adolescent Development | General System Reform | Girls | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Victims | Reports
The U.S. Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence report makes recommendations to prevent children from exposure to crime, abuse, and violence; and assist those who have been. Includes recommendations to improve the juvenile justice system.
-
Defending Childhood: [Executive Summary] Report of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence
Tags: Federal | Brain and Adolescent Development | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | General System Reform | Girls | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | LGBTQ Youth | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Victims | Reports
This document summarizes key recommendations from the Attorney General to prevent children from exposure to crime, abuse, and violence; and assist those who have been exposed. Includes recommendations to improve the juvenile justice system. [Executive Summary]
-
Mental Health Needs and Due Process Rights: Finding the Balance
Tags: Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This brief focuses on the challenge of providing youth in the juvenile justice system necessary mental health screening and assessment in a way that does not violate their right against self-incrimination.
-
Delaware Takes Steps to Ensure Competency of Youth, H.B. 253/Act No. 241
Tags: Delaware | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Delaware established procedures to ensure competency of youth to stand trial in family court. The law allows any party or the court itself to raise a concern as to whether a youth is competent to proceed at trial, and requires that the youth be examined by at least one mental disability expert if the court determines the youth’s competence to be an issue. The evaluator must submit a report to the court that addresses the youth’s ability to understand the nature of the proceedings, give evidence, and instruct counsel on his or her own behalf; notes any mental illnesses, disabilities, or chronological immaturities; and specifies any conditions that would prevent competency from improving with treatment. The law prohibits statements made by a youth during the competency evaluation from being later admitted as evidence at trial. If the court finds the youth not to be competent, it must provide services or treatment to restore competency. If the youth does not become competent to stand trial, the law outlines timelines for dismissal of the charges, depending on their severity. H.B. 253/Act No. 241, signed into law and effective May 21, 2012.
-
Nebraska Establishes Commission to Study Juvenile Justice Facilities and Services, L.B. 821
Tags: Nebraska | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Children’s Commission as a permanent forum for collaboration among state, local, community, public, and private stakeholders in child welfare and juvenile justice programs and services. The Juvenile Services (OJS) Committee was also established as a subcommittee of the Nebraska Children’s Commission, with the mandate to review the role and effectiveness of Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers (YRTCs), including what populations should be served, what treatment services should be provided at YRTCs, how mental and behavioral health services are provided to youth in secure residential placements, and the need for such services in Nebraska’s juvenile justice system. The committee’s December 2013 report includes recommendations related to foundational system principles and a core framework for the system, legal system changes, YRTC facilities and services, and behavioral and mental health systems of care. L.B. 821, signed into law April 11, 2012; effective April 12, 2012 and L.B. 561 signed into law May 29, 2013; effective September 6, 2013.
-
Developing Statutes for Competence to Stand Trial in Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings: A Guide for Lawmakers
Tags: Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
A guide to determining whether a youth is competent to stand trial; this guide could be useful to legislators, judges, attorneys and mental health professionals in their understanding of competence, as it applies to teens.
-
Utah Establishes Standards and Procedures for Juvenile Competency Proceedings, H.B. 393
Tags: Utah | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Utah enacted new standards and procedures for juvenile competency proceedings. A motion for an inquiry into a youth’s competency may be filed by the youth, the prosecutor, a guardian ad litem, or any person having custody of the youth, or the court may raise the issue at any time. The court may order an evaluation of a youth, to be followed by a competency hearing. Any statement made by the youth during the evaluation may not be used as evidence of guilt for the underlying charge. If it is determined that the youth is incompetent, but that competency may be attained, the youth must be held in the least restrictive setting during the implementation of an “attainment plan.” If the youth does not attain competency within one year of a finding of incompetency, the case must be dismissed without prejudice. H.B. 393 Substitute/Act No. 316, signed into law March 22, 2012; effective May 8, 2012.
-
Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Justice Systems: Identifying Mental Health Needs and Risk of Reoffending
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This brief highlights the benefits of adopting screening and assessment tools for both mental health problems and risk of reoffending among many youth populations.
-
U.S. Department of Justice Findings Letter Instructing Mississippi to Improve Mental Health Services for Youth, December 22, 2011
Tags: Mississippi | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
On December 22, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a findings letter compelling Mississippi to reorganize its mental health facilities and departments, while deinstitutionalizing youth and providing community-based services that are more appropriate and cost-effective. The letter was the result of a full investigation that found Mississippi to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the United States Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999).
-
U.S. Department of Justice Findings Summary, Community Choice Alliance
Tags: Mississippi | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
On December 22, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a findings letter compelling Mississippi to reorganize its mental health facilities and departments, while deinstitutionalizing youth and providing community-based services that are more appropriate and cost-effective. The letter was the result of a full investigation that found Mississippi to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the United States Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999).
-
Knowledge Brief: Mental Health Services in Juvenile Justice: Who pays? What gets paid for? And who gets to decide?
-
Ohio Reforms Sentencing for Juveniles, Ohio, H.B. 86
Tags: Ohio | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
A bill that: * explicitly supports research-informed, outcome-based programs and services; * allows judges to consider early release opportunities throughout a youth's commitment, including juveniles serving mandatory sentences; * revises mandatory sentencing guidelines for youth to allow for judicial discretion in instances where the youth was not the main actor; * adopts uniform competency standards for all delinquency proceedings; * establishes a reverse waiver provision that makes is possible for young people automatically transferred to adult court to return to juvenile court; and * creates a temporary interagency task force to make recommendations to the legislature for addressing the needs of delinquent youth with significant mental health issues.
-
Ohio Passes Juvenile Sentencing Reform Bill, H.B. 86
Tags: Ohio | General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Ohio’s new juvenile sentencing reform bill explicitly supports research-informed, outcome-based programs and services; allows judges to consider early release opportunities throughout a youth’s commitment, including youth serving mandatory sentences; revises mandatory sentencing guidelines for youth to allow for judicial discretion in instances where the youth was not the main actor; adopts uniform competency standards for all delinquency proceedings; establishes a reverse waiver provision that makes it possible for young people automatically transferred to adult court to return to juvenile court at the discretion of the judge; and creates a temporary interagency task force to make recommendations to the legislature for addressing the needs of delinquent youth with significant mental health issues.
-
Maine Provides for Evaluation of Juvenile Competency, H.P. 1039
Tags: Maine | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Recognizing the urgent need for a means to assess juvenile competency, a new Maine law provides for an evaluation of competency in juvenile cases and allows for suspension of proceedings in order to conduct a competency evaluation. The law requires the State Forensic Examiner to address the youth's capacity and ability to understand the allegations and proceedings and to effectively engage with counsel.
-
Idaho Establishes Standards for Juvenile Competency Evaluations, H.B. 140
Tags: Idaho | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Prior to new legislation in Idaho, youth who were believed to be incompetent to stand trial were evaluated and treated based on the state’s adult competency statute. New legislation acknowledges the inappropriateness of applying the adult standard to youth, noting unique issues related to youth’s developmental, mental, and emotional maturity. Under the legislation, if the juvenile court determines that there is good cause to believe that a youth is incompetent to proceed, it must stay all proceedings and appoint a psychiatrist or psychologist to evaluate the youth’s mental condition and report to the court.
-
Idaho Standards for Juvenile Competency Evaluations, Statement of Purpose and Fiscal Note, H.B. 140
Tags: Idaho | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Prior to new legislation in Idaho, youth who were believed to be incompetent to stand trial were evaluated and treated based on the state’s adult competency statute. New legislation acknowledges the inappropriateness of applying the adult standard to youth, noting unique issues related to youth’s developmental, mental, and emotional maturity. Under the legislation, if the juvenile court determines that there is good cause to believe that a youth is incompetent to proceed, it must stay all proceedings and appoint a psychiatrist or psychologist to evaluate the youth’s mental condition and report to the court.
-
Louisiana Order Modifying Conditions Consent Decree at Orleans Parish Detention Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
In February 2010, two consent decrees were finalized regarding conditions of confinement and education at New Orleans’ juvenile detention center, the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees were filed in October 2009 following twenty-two months of negotiations after a class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2007. The lawsuit included allegations of locked fire doors with no available keys, insects and rodents biting youth, children with serious conditions being denied their medication, and suicidal youth not receiving mental health services. The consent decrees’ provisions include increased staffing for the Youth Study Center; increased training of all staff on such issues as suicide prevention, behavior, and classroom management; improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing; increased focus on programming, education, and physical recreation; and an increase of one social worker per unit.
-
Iowa Suspends Juvenile Court Proceedings Until Youth's Release from Mental Health Facility, S.F. 327
Tags: Iowa | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
If, prior to the adjudicatory or dispositional hearing in a delinquency case, a youth in Iowa is committed to a residential facility, institution, or hospital based on mental illness or mental retardation, the delinquency proceeding must be suspended until the commitment order is terminated or the youth is released from the mental health facility or hospital. The time limits for adjudicatory hearings and continuances must be temporarily put on hold during the time of commitment for mental health issues. The suspension of the proceedings allows the youth to receive mental health treatment prior to facing delinquency charges or a dispositional hearing in court
-
Colorado Requires Standards for Integrated System-of-Care Family Advocacy Programs, H.B. 1193
Tags: Colorado | Family and Youth Involvement | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
The Colorado General Assembly declared an explicit need for the development of rules and standards for family advocacy mental health juvenile justice programs, as well as technical assistance and coordination for such programs. The legislation makes permanent a demonstration program for system-of-care family advocates and family systems navigators for youth in the juvenile justice system with mental health issues.
-
Vermont Increases Access to Mental Health Services for Detained Youth, H.B. 65
Tags: Vermont | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Through the 2010 Budget Adjustment Act, the Vermont Department for Children and Families “repurposed” Vermont’s one juvenile detention facility to become a “residential treatment facility that provides in-patient psychiatric, mental health, and substance abuse services in a secure setting for adolescents who have been adjudicated or charged with a delinquency or criminal act.” By making this change, the department is now able to draw down Medicaid funding for youth placed at the facility; such funding is usually prohibited for incarcerated youth. All youth placed at the detention center are screened for treatment needs shortly after admission and may gain access to services even if they do not qualify for longer-term placement there.
-
Juveniles with Questionable Mental Competency Receive Right to Hearing, A.B. 2212
Tags: California | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
California law now requires the court to suspend proceedings if doubt is expressed as to a youth's sufficient present ability to rationally and factually understand the nature of the proceedings or assist his or her attorney in mounting a defense. The court must then order a hearing to determine the youth's competency.
-
California Acknowledges Rights of Youth and Importance of Treatment, S.C.R. 40
Tags: California | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
A Senate concurrent resolution in California acknowledges the role that substance abuse often plays in the lives of young offenders and sets forth the rights of all youth in the juvenile justice system. The resolution asserts rights to rehabilitation, treatment, education, family and social services, least restrictive alternatives, reintegration, nondiscrimination, safety and security, counsel, protection from self-incrimination, evidence-based practice, and speedy review. The resolution urges each facility in the state that houses youth or is responsible for the oversight of youth to adopt these rights into the regulations and common practices of the facility.
-
Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense, Justice Policy Institute
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Prevention | Reports
Policy brief discussing the importance of research into the factors contributing to children becoming involved in the criminal justice system in order to help end the trend.
-
Report on the Behavioral Health Program for Youth Committed to Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice
Tags: Illinois | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
In response to a request for technical assistance from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), the Illinois Models for Change initiative assembled a team of mental health and corrections experts to evaluate the department’s behavioral health policies, practices and programming.
-
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice to Ensure Effective Delivery of Health Services for Youth in Custody, S.B. 1012
Tags: Florida | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Legislation
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) must adopt rules to ensure the effective provision of health services to youth in facilities or programs operated or contracted by DJJ. The rules must address ordinary medical care, mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, and services to youth with developmental disabilities.
-
Treatment, Not Punishment: Untangling the Mental Health-Juvenile Justice Knot, Josette Saxton, Texans Care for Children
Tags: Texas | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report discussing how too little focus on the promotion of children's social and emotional health, inappropriate or missed identification of mental health issues, and lack of access to appropriate treatment and supports has led to the Texas juvenile justice system being the de facto provider of mental health services. Report also identifies as an alternative the early recognition and treatment of mental health disorders in a community setting.
-
Promising Practices from the Healthy Returns Initiative: Building Connections to Health, Mental Health, and Family Support Services in Juvenile Justice, The California Endowment
Tags: California | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report highlighting the results of a four year initiative by the Endowment to strengthen the capacity of county juvenile justice systems to provide mental health and other needed services for youth while in custody and in the community.
-
The Officer Will See You Now: Reversing the Trend Toward the Juvenile Justice System as Default Mental Health Provider for Texas Kids, Texans Care for Children
Tags: Texas | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report discussing how in Texas, the juvenile justice system acts as a de facto provider of mental health services. Report discusses how juvenile justice systems are not made for treating mental illness, and putting mentally ill youth into these systems does not work at preventing later delinquency and offers alternatives for mentally ill youth
-
Lauderdale County, Mississippi Settles Lawsuit over Abusive Conditions at Detention Center, E.W. v. Lauderdale County, April 30, 2010
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Lauderdale County, Mississippi settled a class-action lawsuit that alleged abusive conditions at the Lauderdale Juvenile Detention Center. The agreement ensures that youth at the detention center can no longer be locked in cells all day; ends the indiscriminate use of pepper spray and mace; requires clean and sanitary conditions; mandates health and mental health screening and treatment; requires adequate educational, rehabilitative, and recreational programs; and ends the use of a chair with mechanical restraints.
-
Louisiana Consent Decree Aims to Improve Conditions at Orleans Parish Detention Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
In February 2010, two consent decrees were finalized regarding conditions of confinement and education at New Orleans’ juvenile detention center, the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees were filed in October 2009 following twenty-two months of negotiations after a class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2007. The lawsuit included allegations of locked fire doors with no available keys, insects and rodents biting youth, children with serious conditions being denied their medication, and suicidal youth not receiving mental health services. The consent decrees’ provisions include increased staffing for the Youth Study Center; increased training of all staff on such issues as suicide prevention, behavior, and classroom management; improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing; increased focus on programming, education, and physical recreation; and an increase of one social worker per unit.
-
Louisiana Education Consent Decree Aims to Improve Education at Orleans Parish Detention Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
In February 2010, two consent decrees were finalized regarding conditions of confinement and education at New Orleans’ juvenile detention center, the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees were filed in October 2009 following twenty-two months of negotiations after a class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2007. The lawsuit included allegations of locked fire doors with no available keys, insects and rodents biting youth, children with serious conditions being denied their medication, and suicidal youth not receiving mental health services. The consent decrees’ provisions include increased staffing for the Youth Study Center; increased training of all staff on such issues as suicide prevention, behavior, and classroom management; improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing; increased focus on programming, education, and physical recreation; and an increase of one social worker per unit.
-
Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court Outcome and Cost Evaluation
Tags: Maryland | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
This study examines outcomes over a 2-year period for program participants and a matched comparison group.
-
Mental Health Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Justice, Thomas Grisso, National Youth Screening and Assessment Project
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Presentations
Presentation reviewing mental health screening tools for juveniles in the justice system.
-
Mental Health Screening and Assessment in Juvenile Justice, Thomas Grisso, National Youth Screening and Assessment Project
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Presentations
Presentation reviewing mental health screening tools for juveniles in the justice system.
-
Tennessee Works to Improve Mental Health Evaluations and Screening, H.B. 459
Tags: Tennessee | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
The Tennessee General Assembly established a program to reimburse counties for the incidental costs related to outpatient mental health evaluations of youth charged with felonies, such as costs of detention and transportation to outpatient evaluations. Prior to the new law, the state paid in full only for inpatient mental health evaluations, which created an incentive for counties to use the more costly and sometimes unnecessary inpatient evaluations, rather than less costly, more appropriate, and less invasive outpatient evaluations.
-
Committed Texas Youth to Be Assessed for Health Care Eligibility Before Release, H.B. 1630
Tags: Texas | Aftercare/Reentry | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Legislation
Texas law now provides for a memorandum of understanding between state secure facilities and local juvenile probation departments to ensure that each committed youth is assessed for eligibility for state- or federal-funded health coverage before the youth’s release from placement, detention, or commitment. Previously, Texas removed youth from Medicaid- or state-funded health programs upon commitment to a facility and required the youth to reapply upon release. The new law will help streamline the process for re-enrollment and ensure that more youth have immediate health coverage upon release from a facility.
-
Texas Youth with Mental Illness or Mental Retardation to Receive Continuity of Care, H.B. 4451
Tags: Texas | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) must discharge from the state’s custody a youth with mental illness or mental retardation if the youth has completed the required minimum length of stay for the offense and if TJJD determines that the youth is unable to progress in rehabilitation programs because of his or her mental illness or mental retardation. The law will also allow youth with mental illness or mental retardation to obtain continuity of care services when they are discharged from TJJD.
-
Reduction in Recidivism in a Juvenile Mental Health Court: A Pre- and Post- Treatment Outcome Study, Monic P. Behnken, David E. Arredondo, and Wendy L. Packman, Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 60, No. 3
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Study reviewing an evaluation of the Court for the Individualized Treatment of Adolescents (a prototype Juvenile Mental Health Court in Santa Clara, California), presented along with admission criteria.
-
Indiana Provides for Suspension, Rather than Termination, of Medicaid for Incarcerated Youth, H.B. 1536
Tags: Indiana | Aftercare/Reentry | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Legislation
Prior to the passage of a new law in Indiana, the Division of Family Resources terminated Medicaid eligibility for all youth adjudicated delinquent and placed in confinement, delaying receipt of health services for youth upon reentry. Under the new law, the Division of Family Resources must suspend—not terminate—their Medicaid eligibility during the first six months of confinement, allowing for quicker and easier reenrollment after release.
-
King County Resource Guide: Information Sharing (2nd Edition) - Uniting for Youth
Tags: Washington | Confidentiality | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Resource guide from Models for Change providing direction on information-sharing between staff from the following agencies: probation, detention child welfare, juvenile rehabilitation, law enforcement, schools, mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment, court appointed special advocates.
-
A Multi-Agency Approach to Using Medicaid to Meet the Health Needs of Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth, Carrie Hanlon, Jennifer May, and Neva Kaye, National Academy for State Health Policy
Tags: Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports
Report focusing on evidence that improving coordination among state agencies is crucial to improving access to quality health services for juvenile justice-involved youth.
-
Pennsylvania Prohibits Use of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Assessments in Court, Pennsylvania, H.B.1511/Act 109
Tags: Pennsylvania | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Pennsylvania, H.B.1511/Act 109, October 9, 2008 Strengthens juveniles' right against self-incrimination by placing restrictions on the use of screenings and assessments.
-
Mental Health Courts: A Primer for Policymakers and Practitioners, Bureau of Justice Assistance and Council of State Governments Justice Center
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report describing mental health courts’ goals, structure, research and planning. Report includes a brief section on mental health courts for juveniles.
-
Improving Access to Health Coverage for Transitional Youth, Sonya Schwartz and Melanie Glascock, National Academy for State Health Policy
Tags: Crossover and Dual Jurisdiction Youth | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports
Report discussing strategies for ensuring that transitional youth (i.e., all youth who are entering, leaving or moving within the juvenile justice and foster care systems) have access to health care. The report focuses on opportunities to screen youth for Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligibility. It describes key transition points for youth in both systems, ways for states to extend Medicaid and SCHIP to them, and opportunities to better enroll and retain the population.
-
Model Policies for Juvenile Justice and Substance Abuse Treatment, Reclaiming Futures
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report detailing new model for substance abuse treatment in the juvenile justice system. The Reclaiming Futures Model combined system reforms, treatment improvement and community engagement and is now being replicated across the country.
-
Tennessee Curtails Juvenile Court Referrals by School Personnel, Tennessee, S.B. 2609/Public Chapter 1063
Tags: Tennessee | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Legislation
Mandates that school personnel may only file juvenile petition against a special education student after determining that the behavior was not caused by the student's disability.
-
A Medicaid Primer for Juvenile Justice Officials, National Academy for State Health Policy
Tags: Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports
Brief providing an overview and analysis of emerging issues and developments in state health policy as applied to juveniles in the justice system.
-
Making the Right Turn: A Guide About Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Corrections System, National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
Tags: Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports
Report that features information on the transition processes for youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system.
-
Mental Health Screening Within Juvenile Justice: The Next Frontier, National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, Models for Change
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report detailing the current use of mental health screening, recommending policies and procedures, and discussing implementation of mental health screening.
-
Washington Improves Mental Health Services, Washington, Law C359 L07
Tags: Washington | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Establishes a children's mental health evidence-based practice institute at the University of Washington.
-
Progress and Perils in the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Movement, Thomas Grisso, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 35:2:158-167
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Article describing the juvenile justice and mental health movement, discussing the circumstances that motivated it, and providing examples of its progress.
-
Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This report focuses on how multi-system partnerships can help address the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system.
-
Washington Funds Expansion of Drug Courts, Washington, Chapter 522, Laws of 2007
Tags: Washington | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
-
New Mexico Revises Mental Health and Disabilities Code to Benefit Youth, New Mexico, H.B. 637
Tags: New Mexico | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Legislation
Revises the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code to ensure that children receiving mental health and habilitation services have basic rights regardless of the setting.
-
A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report presenting facts about adolescent substance use, including information on the initiation of substance use, past year substance use, and receipt of substance use treatment. The data presented in this report are from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the 2005 Treatment Episode Data Set, and the 2005 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services.
-
Blueprint for Change: A Comprehensive Model for the Identification and Treatment of Youth with Mental Health Needs in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System, National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report representing four years of work to develop a conceptual and practical framework for juvenile justice and mental health systems to use when developing strategies, policies, and services aimed at improving mental health services for youth involved with the juvenile justice system. The Model, which sets the highest goals for the system to work towards, summarizes what is known about the best way to identify and treat mental disorders among youth at key stages of juvenile justice processing and offers recommendations, guidelines, and examples for how best to do this.
-
Protecting Youth from Self-Incrimination when Undergoing Screening, Assessment and Treatment within the Juvenile Justice System
Tags: Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse
This report focuses on the current state of laws protecting youth from self-incrimination during the process of mental health screening and assessment.
-
Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study
Tags: General System Reform | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
An in-depth study from the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, in collaboration with the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, focusing on the prevalence of mental health disorders. The study draws upon data from over 1,400 youth in 29 different programs and facilities across three states.
-
Psychiatric Disorders of Youth in Detention, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Tags: Illinois | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Bulletin discussing psychiatric disorders prevalent in youth offenders. Bulletin draws on research conducted by the Northwestern Juvenile Project, which measured the prevalence of alcohol, drug, and mental disorders among youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Illinois. The study examined the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among youth by gender, race and ethnicity, and age.
-
What Deficit Reduction Means for People with Mental Disabilities, Bazelon Center Mental Health Policy Reporter
Tags: Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports
Report summarizing the changes to Medicaid coverage and eligibility made by the Deficit Reduction Act in 2006.
-
Is There Justice in the Juvenile Justice System: Examining the Role of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Justice Policy Journal
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Article explaining the importance of understanding the role of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in adjudicating juvenile offenders. The author, Sharon J. Williams, notes a system-wide lack of critical knowledge of FASD, includes data on the prevalence of FASD in the juvenile justice system, and demonstrates how social adaptive behaviors, learning disabilities and behavior problems associated with FASD affect individuals in the juvenile justice system.
-
Introduction to the National Girls Health Screen Project: The Findings from the Medical Case File Review of Girls Being Held in Detention and the Preliminary Analysis of Health/Mental Health Studies of Girls in the Juvenile Justice System, Leslie Acoca
Tags: Girls | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Reports
Brief discussing that girls are the fastest growing segment of the juvenile justice system across the United States, even as overall rates of juvenile offending are declining.
-
Juvenile Mental Health Courts - Program Descriptions: Processes and Procedures, National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Overview of juvenile mental health court programs across the country, including contact information.
-
Virginia Creates Transition Plan for Incarcerated Juveniles, Virginia, H2245
Tags: Virginia | Aftercare/Reentry | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Requires the Board of Juvenile Justice to consult with the Board of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services to create regulations for the planning of mental health, substance abuse and other treatment services for youth returning from corrections or detention.
-
Idaho Improves Mental Health Assessments, Idaho, S.B. 1165
Tags: Idaho | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Allows juvenile court judges to order a mental health assessment of a juvenile at any stage in the juvenile court proceedings.
-
South Dakota Improves Mental Health Treatment, South Dakota, S.B. 178
Tags: South Dakota | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
-
Screening and Assessing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: A Resource Guide for Practitioners
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
This Resource Guide offers a comprehensive, user-friendly synthesis of current information on instruments that can be used to screen and assess youth for mental health- and substance use- related disorders at various stages of the juvenile justice process.
-
Assessing the Mental Health Status of Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Tags: Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Bulletin reporting the results of a study of the Voice DISC–IV, a version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC) that is self-administered using a computer and headphones. The DISC is an extensively tested child and adolescent diagnostic interview that has been evaluated in clinical and community settings. The self-administered Voice DISC offers several advantages for use within the juvenile justice system—notably, minimal staff support requirements, immediate scoring that generates provisional DSM–IV diagnoses, and the assurance of privacy that can enhance the willingness of youth to disclose sensitive personal information. Based on their findings and those of other researchers, the authors recommend best practices in assessing the mental health of juvenile offenders.
-
Adolescent Girls with Mental Health Disorders Involved with the Juvenile Justice System
Tags: Girls | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports | Research
Research shows that mental disorders are prevalent among girls in the juvenile justice system. This brief focuses on how mental health disorders affect girls in the juvenile justice system.
-
Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice, Government Accountability Office
Tags: Fiscal Issues and Funding | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Report to Congressional Requesters discussing how federal agencies could play a stronger role in helping states reduce the number of children placed solely to obtain mental health services.