Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice (BH/JJ) Part I

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Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice (BH/JJ)Part I

• Presented by
• Dr. Mark Singer
• Leonard W. Mayo Professor of Family and Child
  Welfare
• Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
• Case Western Reserve University

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Program Overview

• Target population mentally ill violent
  offending youth between the ages of 12 and 18
• Target sites
• Cuyahoga County
• Lorain County
• Southwest Counties (Hamilton, Butler, Warren,
  Clermont)
• For the period July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2002, 68
  youth were enrolled in the project
• 90 Male 51 Caucasian, 39 African-American, 9
  Hispanic, 1 Biracial Average age16 years

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Charges (N62)

• Total charges 673
• Average number of charges 10.6 (range0-29)
• Greatest number of youth had assault, domestic
  violence, and/or theft charges

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DSM-IV Diagnoses Axis I
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Medications
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Youth IQ
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Ohio Scale Outcomes

• Youth, parent, and worker ratings of youths
  Problem Severity and Functioning improved over
  time
• Parents ratings of satisfaction with their
  relationship with their children improved over
  time
• Youths and parents ratings of satisfaction with
  treatment improved over time

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ODYS Direct Impact

• MH referrals to ODYS from project counties
• 2000 MH referrals- 35
• 2001 MH referrals- 17
• 2002 MH referrals- 15
• Males only
• Through 10/15/02

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Full Psychological Evals. N88

• Youth were highly impulsive
• 74 had made a suicidal threat/gesture/act
• 25 made violent acts on pets/animals
• (e.g. killing, mutilating burning)
• 40 had been noted as firesetters

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Full Psychological Evals. N88

• Compromised intellectual functioning
• 42/88 had I.Q. scores at borderline level or
  below
• About 1 in 4 had provisional diagnosis of
  learning disability

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Full Psychological Evals. N88

• Parents had significant problems
• 55 of fathers noted as abusing alcohol/drugs
• 43 of mothers noted as abusing alc./drugs
• About 1 in 3 fathers and 1 in 5 mothers were
  noted as having been incarcerated or on
  probation.

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Focus Groups Systems Issues
Mental Health Boards Judges Parents/Families
Positive youth outcomes Safety not an issue or concern Important to engage families Fills gap for low functioning youth with co-occurring disorders Another option for youth. There is a large mental health need Need to be educated about available networks and services Level of security is appropriate. Therapy was good. Were treated respectfully. Parent was available and asked for input. Youth placed in program was considered a success
Juvenile Court Staff Providers Providers
Security is adequate Helped to build trust with family and identified youth A different option than DYS that addresses a gap in services Families had positive experiences Need to work with schools to reintegrated youth in education Collaboration between systems is vital to success Need more community-based services   Families had positive experiences Need to work with schools to reintegrated youth in education Collaboration between systems is vital to success Need more community-based services  
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Discussion