August 2003

Q: What is being done to inform the judiciary about the special needs of mentally ill children and youth in the juvenile justice system?

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has brought Dr. David Arredondo on board to provide consultation to the Juvenile and Family Court Judiciary and technical assistance and training to the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. The program, called SOLOMON, conducts reviews on a broad range of topics and provides training to judiciary and court staff around the nation. Two psychiatrists impart knowledge of childhood development, developmental traumatology, and children's mental health. Another focus is on the large numbers of economically disadvantaged youth in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and how to get adequate assessment and treatment to them. The psychiatrists take a non-partisan stance in their efforts to get factual information to their audiences.

SOLOMON will provide consultation to judges on specific cases or trainings upon request. The project will provide second opinions about the adequacy, relevance, or accuracy of psychological and psychiatric tests. The SOLOMON project provides lectures, workshops, trainings, and presentations all over the country in the areas of mental, emotional, and neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities of high-risk children and their families. Lastly, the project provides technical assistance tailored to a community's needs. It can assist in assessing the effectiveness of treatment interventions; screening large populations of high-risk youth and abuse reactive juvenile offenders; evaluating the requirements of adequate mental health assessments for children, the allocation of limited resources, effective treatments, and effective rehabilitation strategies; and solving trans-system problems (juvenile justice, mental health, education, social services and juvenile probation).

Services from the SOLOMON project are available to communities by request. A form is available online, and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. For more information, go to http://www.childrensprogram.org/solomon/services.html.

Questions can be sent to David E. Arredondo, MD, Director, at david@childrensprogram.org.