Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONMental Health Assessments in Juvenile Justice: Report on the Consensus Conference
Section snippets
METHOD
We followed the RAND Corporation expert consensus guidelines approach (Brook et al., 1986). We first developed a survey, administered in paper and Internet formats, in which juvenile justice staff (clinical and nonclinical) nationwide reported on assessment practices in their work settings and then expressed their opinions on best practices for such assessments (Evans et al., 2003). We then held a Consensus Conference on “Mental Health Assessments in Juvenile Justice Settings,” sponsored by the
SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT
Mental health information should inform identification of both emergent risk and mental health service needs. Screening can be an efficient mechanism for gathering either type of information, at several points in the youth's contact with the system. Screening is the identification of unrecognized problems in apparently well persons via procedures that can be applied rapidly and inexpensively. Screening is not intended to be definitive; persons who screen positive should receive further
DISCUSSION
As noted, several groups have developed guidelines and standards for management of youths in detention and corrections facilities. More recent publications, and those whose focus is mental health, have addressed the present recommendations more explicitly. Of the groups providing guidelines, none provides explicit information for all six recommendations, although the CJMHC Project (Council of State Governments, 2002), pertaining only to adults, comes closest. Currently, practitioners seeking
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2017, Journal of Substance Abuse TreatmentCitation Excerpt :This screening should be used to determine whether youth are assessed with a more comprehensive and validated assessment protocol and whether they are referred to other services, such as evidence-based prevention or treatment interventions (Models for Change, 2007; NIDA, 2014). The assessment results should then trigger a case plan and specific treatment recommendation (Wasserman, Jensen, Ko, Trupin, & Cocozza, 2003). Once such a plan is developed, the youth should be referred to an appropriate treatment provider (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2013), receive a clinical assessment, initiate treatment, and remain engaged in evidence-based treatment for a sufficient length of time to improve outcomes.
Professionals' perceptions of and recommendations for matching juvenile drug court clients to services
2017, Children and Youth Services ReviewCitation Excerpt :Because of this prevalence and the focus of the juvenile justice system on rehabilitation, the justice system has become the leading source of referral for youth entering treatment for substance use problems (Dennis, Dawud-Noursi, Muck, & McDermeit (Ives), 2003; Dennis, White, & Ives, 2009; Ives, Chan, Modisette, & Dennis, 2010). It is also an important source of referral for youth entering mental health treatment (Wasserman et al., 2003; Zeola, Guina, & Nahhas, 2016). Given the high numbers of youth who are involved in the justice system needing treatment for multiple co-occurring disorders, identifying and implementing successful approaches matching them to services and treatment (i.e., service-matching) within the justice system is crucial.
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The authors gratefully acknowledge the input of the participants in the conference; they are listed at the end of the text.
Participants: Gregory L. Fricchione, M.D., is with the Division of Psychiatry and Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Ralph E. Kelly, Ed.D., is former Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice; Chris Koyanagi is with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; Edward J. Loughran is with the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators; Howard Snyder, Ph.D., is with the National Center for Juvenile Justice; Tom Stokes is with the National Juvenile Detention Association; Ray Wahl is with the American Probation and Parole Association; Prudence Fisher, Ph.D., Laurence Greenhill, M.D., Kimberly Hoagwood, Ph.D., Laura Mufson, Ph.D., Bruce Waslick, M.D., and Larkin S. McReynolds, M.P.H., are all with the Department of Child Psychiatry, Columbia University; William Arroyo, M.D., is with Children's Services, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health; Michael Bigley, M.S.S., C.S.W., and Lois Shapiro, Ph.D., are with the New York State Office of Mental Health; Joyce Burrell is with the American Institutes for Research; Larry Faison, Ph.D., is with Mobile County Juvenile Court; Kathi Grasso is with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; William Haxton, Ph.D., is with Clinical Services, South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice; Diana Quintana, Ph.D., is with the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; Lee Underwood, Psy.D., is with the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice.