Identifying Mental Health And Substance Use Disorders Among Youth In The Juvenile Justice System

Research indicates that many youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system may have mental health- and substance use-related disorders. Problems related to these conditions play a continuing role in delinquency and pose risks to the welfare of youth, juvenile justice staff, and others. Identifying troubled youth is the first step in providing them with appropriate treatment. To take that first step, juvenile justice professionals need reliable screening and assessment instruments and practical guidance in their effective use. This book offers a comprehensive, user-friendly synthesis of current information on instruments that can be used to screen and assess youth for mental health- and substance use-related disorders at various stages of the juvenile justice process. The book includes profiles of over 50 instruments, guidelines for selecting instruments, and best practice recommendations for diverse settings and situations.

This guide was created to promote the early identification of children and adolescents with mental health and substance use problems as well as to provide guidance, tools, and resources for early identification-including a compendium of the most developmentally, culturally, and environmentally appropriate screening instruments. SAMHSA developed the guide using the input of the members of the Federal/National Partnership* (FNP) Early Identification Workgroup, chaired by representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States.

1. Youth with mental health disorders in the juvenile justice system-- 2. The diagnosis of mental health disorders-- 3. The oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder-- 4. Mood disorders : major depression, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder-- 5. Attention-deficit - hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-- 6. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-- 7. Developmental disorders : mental retardation, learning disorders and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)-- 8. Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders-- 9. Substance use disorders : substance abuse and substance dependence-- 10. Co-occuring mental health and substance use disorders -- 11. Suicidal behaviour among juvenile offenders-- 12. Self-injurious behaviour among juvenile offenders-- 13. Screening and assessment of juvenile offenders with mental health disorders-- 14. Treatment of juvenile offenders with mental health disorders-- 15. Special issues 1 : minority youth, female offenders, homosexual youth-- 16. Special issues 2 : head trauma - neuropsychiatric factors, violence and mental illness, seclusion and restraint, malingering, staff training.

Presents information on identifying, screening, and assessing adolescents who use substances. This report focuses on the most current procedures and instruments for detecting substance abuse among adolescents, conducting comprehensive assessments, and beginning treatment planning. Presents appropriate strategies and guidelines for screening and assessment. Explains legal issues concerning Federal and State confidentiality laws. Provides guidance for screening and assessing adolescents in juvenile justice settings. Summarizes instruments to screen and assess adolescents for substance and general functioning domains.

It is well known that many children and adolescents entering the juvenile justice system suffer from serious mental disorders. Yet until now, few resources have been available to help mental health and juvenile justice professionals accurately identify the mental health needs of the youths in their care. Filling a crucial gap, this volume offers a practical primer on screening and assessment together with in-depth reviews of over 20 widely used instruments. Comprehensive and timely, it brings together leading experts to provide authoritative guidance in this challenging area of clinical practice. Grounded in extensive research and real world practical experience, this is an indispensable reference for clinical and forensic psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists, as well as juvenile justice administrators and others who work with youths in the justice system. An informative resource for students, it is an ideal supplemental text for graduate-level courses.