Up to 70 percent of all youth in contact with the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Yet, the juvenile justice system is not always the best or most appropriate place to access the services they need.

A new white paper from the Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Collaborative for Change: A Training, Technical Assistance, and Education Center urges the use of community-based treatment interventions as the more appropriate and effective response to the needs of these youth.  Better Solutions for Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System discusses the scope of this problem, scientific breakthroughs that can help, and how communities can adopt better solutions for youth with mental health needs in the juvenile justice system.

The Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Collaborative for Change is a project of the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice at Policy Research Associates, and is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as part of its Models for Change Resource Center Partnership.

Posted by MCCD on Thursday, January 23rd, 2014 @ 9:43AM
Categories: Juvenile Competency, Mental Health, Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency