How Prevalent are Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in Juvenile Justice? Jeffery Butts, PhD, says the Answer May Surprise You

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Gail Wasserman and her colleagues from the Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice at Columbia University published an important new study that was released mid-February in Criminal Justice and Behavior: "Psychiatric Disorder, Comorbidity, and Suicidal Behavior in Juvenile Justice Youth." It may be the best source of information yet on the prevalence of substance abuse and mental health disorders among youth in the juvenile justice system. We need accurate information. I've heard many practitioners around the country make the same mistake, claiming that "70 percent" of the youth in "the system" have diagnosable disorders. As I've said before elsewhere, this common mistake usually starts with a misreading of the 2002 study by Linda Teplin at Northwestern University.

Drug Abuse and Mental Health

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85% of children treated for substance abuse also have mental health problems. The Child Welfare League of America reports this is a growing problem across the country.  In addition, 23.1 million people age 12 or older needed treatment for drugs or alcohol in 2008.  But only 9.9% of them got help at a specialty facility.

Helping teens with mental illness

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A growing number of states are looking for ways to assess and treat the mental health problems of children in the juvenile justice system.  The newest report comes from the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice at the Berkeley School of Law in California.  An estimated 40 to 70 percent of teens in California’s juvenile justice system have mental health disorders and the numbers are rising.  Researchers recommend some practical strategies:

Better definitions of mental health problems linking diagnosis with treatment options across the system
Proven screening and assessment tools
Outcome-based treatment programs

Screening Teens in Custody for Mental Illness May Improve Outcomes

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A four-year study of the juvenile justice system in California unveils alarming mental health problems:

An estimated 50% of teens arrested in California have a suspected mental illness. 75% have a substance abuse problem

The Healthy Returns Initiative is searching for ways to improve treatment options and outcomes for young offenders.  The study reports on conditions in California’s Juvenile Justice System which sound a lot like conditions in Georgia:  State and local budget cuts, insufficient staff to handle kids with mental health problems, shortage of placement options for children with severe mental illness and substance abuse. The Initiative worked with 5 counties, both urban and rural, to identify teens with problems. They found the key is routine, standardized mental health screening at the earliest point of contact with the system.  They conclude ignoring mental health issues leads to longer and more costly stays in detention. Read more in the Sacramento Bee