Discrepancies for Mental Health Services in Juvenile Institutions

1. Institutional Resources

1.1. Identify what services are beneficial for juveniles while incarcerated

1.2. Identify current therapeutic services offered

1.3. Identify the current Mental Health Referral Screening Process

2. Cultural Connections

2.1. Understand cultural roles with Mental Health and Criminal Behavior

2.2. Identify cultural trends present in the institutions

2.3. Address any form of discrimination and racial profiling

3. Criminal Behaviors/Categories

3.1. Develop a Criminal Behavior Scaling Assessment measuring the level of risk of juvenile

3.2. Differentiate nature of crimes and its alliance with Mental Health

3.3. Identify any criminal history, incarcerations and linkage to Mental Health

4. Courses of Actions

4.1. Implement an initial Mental Health Screening Process during intake

4.2. Implement specific treatment groups (substance use, trauma and family systems) to target underlying issues

4.3. Attend to the family needs and provide community courses to provide education for structured families

5. Consequences of Untreated Mental Health

5.1. Development of other mental disorders such as Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety

5.2. Increase in unhealthy behaviors and defiance

5.3. Poor school performances due to lack of concentration and disrupting symptoms

5.4. Suicide Attempts and Self-Injury Behaviors

5.5. Increase in criminal behavior, resulting in increased days of incarceration and additional criminal charges

5.6. re-Incarceration for re-offending,, after being released from custody

6. Solutions

6.1. Partnerships with the State Juvenile Justice System to provide more state funding

6.2. Integrate further clinical training for staff to execute proper assessments

6.3. Educate correctional officers to identify increasing mental health symptoms

6.4. Create trainings on Trauma Informed Care and other treatment modalities

6.5. Employ more clinical staff (social workers, therapists, psychiatrists) to help target unmet needs for youth

7. Treatment Modalities

7.1. Psychiatric Evaluations and prescribed medication if needed

7.2. Trauma- Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy

7.3. Trauma Informed Care

7.4. Weekly Therapy, 1-1, group or family

7.5. Attachment Regulation and Competency (ARC)