NCJ Number
190469
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 63 Issue: 5 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 98-101
Date Published
August 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses why mental health training is important for juvenile correctional facility and community supervision staff.
Abstract
When staff do not understand mental health disorders, youths may suffer negative consequences, more restrictive placements, and longer periods of juvenile justice supervision because of their illnesses. When a crisis occurs with a mentally ill juvenile offender, correctional staff must respond to the situation and the youth's behavior. Whether in a correctional facility or the community, juvenile justice staff are responsible for supervising offenders with mental health disorders. Because they are observing and monitoring youths, juvenile justice staff are in an ideal position to detect behavioral changes. The relationship between youths and juvenile justice staff is critical and can serve as a protective factor against future negative behavior. Staff members who do not have training in identifying and managing mental health disorders may assume juvenile offenders are faking their symptoms or may misinterpret mental health symptoms as oppositional behavior. Finally, training staff about mental health disorders can help reduce the likelihood of liability related to the care of a mentally ill youth. After receiving intensive mental health training, both residential and community supervision staff are more likely to integrate issues related to a youth's mental health into the juvenile justice treatment/supervision plan. Notes