Mental Health Needs Of Youth In The Juvenile Justice System
Key Studies
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, The United States General Accounting Office (GAO),
April 2003. [A copy of the full report is available online at http://www.gao.gov, Report Number,
GAO-03-397.]
This national report shows that thousands of American parents are forced to
place their children into foster care or juvenile justice systems because it
is the only way to access the mental health services their children require.
The findings show that more than 12,700 children were placed into the
juvenile justice or child welfare systems in 2001 to receive mental health
treatment. This number is likely an underestimate nationwide, since the
data provided were limited to child welfare directors in 19 states and
juvenile justice officials in 30 counties. The report confirms the plight of
families having to place their children because of the cost of care,
insurance problems or lack of access to services. The GAO recommends that
the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice should investigate
the feasibility of tracking children in the system to identify the extent
and outcomes of placements and develop interagency coordination to stem the
problem.
Home /
Juvenile Justice Issues /
State-by-State Info /
Research
Newsroom /
About Us /
BBY Partners /
Contact us
Building Blocks for Youth
For a fair and effective youth justice system
...a comprehensive effort to protect minority youth in the justice system
and to promote rational and effective juvenile justice policies...
