Main | Resources

We know that children are involved with the justice system when families are overwhelmed and cannot find help elsewhere; children lack safe and healthy responses to daily events; and schools rely on police for answers rather than changing their culture.

Federal studies suggest that as many as 60-75 percent of incarcerated youth have a mental health disorder and 20 percent have a severe disorder. As many as half have substance abuse problems.1

Children in the justice system are disproportionately poor and children of color. Along with their underlying mental disorder, many have histories of other problems that have not been addressed, including: physical and/or sexual abuse; parental drug or alcohol use; poor school performance or truancy; family discord, and learning disabilities.

Research indicates that clinical care that treats underlying psychological needs of children in trouble works to change their life course and deter them from juvenile justice involvement.
The Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania provides independent advocacy services in the state operated youth development centers and youth forestry camps. The advocates provide assistance and support to youth who are placed in the facilities. 

In 2005, MHAPA became a partner in the Models for Change project, which is funded by the The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. MHAPA provides technical assistance to both state and local teams working to reform the Juvenile Justice system in Pennsylvania, under the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Targeted Area of Interest (TAI). A major achievement for this work is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Joint Policy Statement, adopted by all state child serving systems and now the basis of the county-level Children’s Integrated Services Planning Process.

¹ Cocozza, J.J. (ed.) Responding to Youth With Mental Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System. Seattle, WA, The National Coalition for the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System, 1992.