2010 Juvenile Justice Symposium: Meeting the Needs of Youth Involved with the Juvenile Justice System within Systems of Care
The Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health (TA Partnership) was pleased to host the juvenile justice symposium, Meeting the Needs of Youth Involved with the Juvenile Justice System within Systems of Care March 24–25 in Washington, DC. The symposium was designed for system of care communities in their second and fourth years of implementation that have a focus on meeting the mental health and related needs of youth in or at risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system. The purpose of the symposium was for participants to:
- learn about national trends and proven practices to address the mental health and related needs of youth in or at risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system.
- identify how system of care communities can provide and promote effective supports and services that lead to successful outcomes.
- network and establish partnerships that will promote the sustainability of community efforts.
- learn from experts in the juvenile justice field whose research and practice can inform future efforts in system of care communities.
- identify the technical assistance/strategies that will help your community improve services/supports for youth and their families.
Presentations and related resources from the symposium are available below. View the symposium agenda (PDF).
Presentations
Allegheny County’s Comprehensive Community-Based Services (PDF)
This session will highlight Allegheny County’s comprehensive community-based services for youth on probation. It will highlight the county’s use of balanced and restorative justice principles and philosophy and identify who the necessary partners are in making their programs successful. Information will be shared on the county’s use of graduated sanctions, service learning projects, school-based probation, evening reporting centers, and other supports.
Evidence-Based Practices in the Community (PDF)
This session focused on several evidence-based, community-based practices for youth involved or at risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system along with strategies for implementation. It highlighted a Washington Policy Institute cost-benefit study that found that community-based programs are often less expensive than those provided in secure care settings and are generally more effective in producing positive outcomes.
The Importance of a Comprehensive Continuum of Care (PDF)
This introductory session explored the importance of system of care communities providing a comprehensive array of programs, services, and supports to meet the mental health needs of youth involved or at risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system. The three-tiered approach is based on the public health model. This model supports the premise that “one size does not fit all” and identifies which services work best to address the unique needs of individual youth.
This session introduced a juvenile justice resource series produced by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. It highlighted critical intervention points for youth involved or at risk of involvement with the juvenile system. Examples of how system of care communities address the needs of youth at these critical intervention points were presented along with the importance of interagency collaboration and strategic funding.
Secure Care Interventions for High Need Youth: Successful Transition and Aftercare (PDF)
This session examined programming and mental health supports for youth placed in short- and long-term secure settings. It addressed practices that have demonstrated success in meeting the specific needs of youth with co-occurring disorders, those with a history of trauma, sex offenders, and other unique populations. The need for comprehensive transition planning and supports that can increase the likelihood of a successful return back to the community was also discussed.
Youth Involved with Multiple Systems and the Need for Successful Interagency Collaboration (PDF)
This keynote session addressed the importance of multi-agency collaboration when working with youth who find themselves involved with the juvenile justice and/or child welfare systems. Essential partners were identified along with the examination of their roles in ensuring positive outcomes for this population of young people. Strategies for interagency coalition building and collaboration were presented. Reaching true collaboration and creating integrated systems is hard work, however the benefits for the youth, families, and communities are exponential.
Related Resources
Presents 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. Executive Summary (PDF).
The Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile Justice Policies Make Good Fiscal Sense (PDF)
Details how states can see a net reduction in costs by moving expenditures away from large, congruent care facilities for youth and investing in community-based alternatives.
Evidence-Based Practices with Latino Youth: A Literature Review (PDF)
Outlines some of the most pressing mental health concerns for Latino immigrants and highlight what is currently known about how best to respond to these concerns.
Reviews evidence-based adult corrections, juvenile corrections, and prevention options and analyzes the effects of alternative portfolios of these investments.
Evidence-based treatment for justice-involved youth (PDF)
Explores some of the treatments that research has demonstrated to be successful in meeting the needs of youth involved with the juvenile justice system.
Fact Sheet: Juvenile Justice Facilities (PDF)
Provides a snapshot of prevalence and type of juvenile justice facilities around the country and some features of the educational and other services available within these facilities.
Provides an overview of the mental health issues facing many of the children and adolescents in the juvenile justice population, presents information on the prevalence of mental health disorders in the juvenile justice population, and gives information on screening and assessment.
Provides strategies, existing practices, and updated resources and documents on transition to enable administrators and service providers to deliver high-quality transition services for children and youth moving into, through, and out of education programs within the juvenile justice system.
Sex offender care for adolescents in secure care: Critical factors and counseling strategies (PDF)
Explores the critical factors and counseling strategies of those adolescents who have been adjudicated of sexual offenses.
Presents findings on the effectiveness of FIT in reducing recidivism, as well as an analysis of the program’s benefits and costs.
Designed to to help institutions caring for youth who are neglected or delinquent build collaborations and support family participation to maximize educational experiences for youth in care, as well as during their transition back into the community.