Mental Health & Juvenile Justice Readings and Discussion Questions

Readings

1. Grisso, T. (2007). Progress and perils in the juvenile justice and mental health movement. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 35(2), 158–67. Retrieved from

2. U.S. GAO report to Congress (April 2003) “Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice: Federal

Agencies Could Play a Stronger Role in Helping States Reduce the Number of Children

Placed Solely to Obtain Mental Health Services” ***Results in BriefBackground sections only: p1-13***

3. Cocozza, J. J., & Shufelt, J. L. (2006). Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System: Results from a Multi-State Prevalence Study. National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice.

4. MacArthur Foundation Models for Change Research Initiative knowledge brief on financing streams—Mental Health Services in Juvenile Justice : Who pays ? What gets paid for ? And who gets to decide ? (2011)

Initiatives/Models/Resources to Skim

  • MacArthur Foundation: Models for Change Initiative, Mental Health Action Network
  • Annie E. Casey Foundation, Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative
  • Bernalillo County Case Study:
  • Reclaiming Futures (RWJ Foundation):
  • Systemsof Care Model (SAMHSA funds Systems of Care planning, implementation, and expansion grants):
  • National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice:

Discussion Questions

Broad question: How could we ensure justice-involved youth receive adequate behavioral health care without turning the juvenile justice system into the children’s mental health system?

The “means”:What are the right groups and institutions to implement policy changes aimed at mental health and juvenile justice?

A lot of policy and change initiatives are taking place at the local and state level; is this the right level or is it time for action at the federal level?

Are private foundations the right innovation agents and are county and state governments the right entities to provide the services?

Policies to promote systems collaboration: MANY different systems and programs areinvolved in serving youth with mental health needs, is it possible to get around silos/fragmentation?

Are there ways to increase flexibility in funding streams that would allow the many systems and programs to better collaborate and coordinate services?

Small group within larger issues:Justice-involved youth are a relatively small population; what is the best way to frame this issue without detracting from mental health issues in the broader population?

How doesadvocating for justice-involved youth as a “special population” help or hinder the broader policy objective of ensuringeffective and accessible behavioral health services?

If change initiatives emphasize the diversion of youth to community-based mental health services, should the policy focus really be on improving access to services? Or focus on screening before youth reach the point of crisis and/or delinquency?