Juvenile justice system

For decades, drug problems have negatively affected our families, our economy, and our safety. More than 8 million of America s 75 million children currently have a parent (or parents) addicted to alcohol or other psychoactive drugs. This fuels our nation s foster care and juvenile justice systems, and contributes to an intergenerational problem Up to 70% of the children of addicts become addicted to drugs themselves (Bernstein, 2002). 

It is estimated that 25-50% of patients in long-term care facilities suffer from neuropsychiatric disorders that are functionally impairing/ At least 26% of incarcerated adults and 52% of children in the juvenile justice system meet criteria for a DSM-IV-TR disorder/ When substance abuse/dependency is included in the adult population, the incidence rises to 71%. Psychiatric pharmacist specialists can provide consultation on optimizing drug therapy for patients in these settings. 

Juvenile Justice. Many penologists help provide research and analysis that shapes the policies of the juvenile justice system. For example, researchers have investigated the hypothesis that trying adolescents in adult courts and making them eligible for harsher sentences has a deterrent effect on crime and a reductive effect on recidivism rates. One comparative study of juvenile offenders in the states of New York and New Jersey did not find this to be the case, however. 

CASSP advocated for interagency coordination among child- and family-serving agencies in the provision of services for children and adolescents with sed. Many children are involved with various mental health providers, receive mentoring, attend after-school or summer school programs, receive alternative educational or residential placements, are involved with the juvenile justice system, etc. If youth are to achieve the most positive outcomes possible, especially children with more serious problems, clinicians—school-based or not— will need to collaborate actively with family members and other service providers. 

Concerns that disproportionate numbers of children with serious emotional disturbance were being removed from their communities led to the development of systems of care in the 1980s. In 1992, Congress passed the Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program which supported the development of these systems of care. A system of care is in or near the home and community. In fiilly developed systems of care, local public and private organizations work in teams with families and children to both plan and implement individualized services for each child s physical, emotional, social, educational, and family needs. Teams include family advocates and representatives fi om mental health, health, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, vocational rehabilitation, recreation, substance abuse, and other services. Systems of care have supported the use of mental health clinicians in schools, school- and community-based wraparound planning and services, and student support services (Woodruff et al., 1999). 

Osher, D., Osher, T. (1996). The National agenda for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances. In M. Nelson, R. Rutherford, and B. Wolford (Eds.), Comprehensive Collaborative Systems that Work for Troubled Youth A National Agenda (pp. 149-164). Richmond, KY National Coalition for Juvenile Justice Services. 

CCMHP is the current federal program providing coordinated, community-based, family-centered, cultmally competent, accessible, and least restrictive services for children and adolescents with serious emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders accompanied by functional impairment. Development of these systems of care is based on the premise that the mental health needs of children, adolescents, and their families can be met in their home, school, and community environments (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1999). A variety of community agencies are involved, including mental health, child welfare, education, and juvenile justice. Funded service systems are tailored to the needs of individual children and adolescents and include evaluation and diagnosis. 

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