Youth in the juvenile justice system experience mental health disorders at a rate three times higher than that of the general youth population, according to a white paper from the Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Collaborative for Change, a member of MacArthur’s Models for Change Resource Center Partnership. The paper asserts that youth with mental health needs should be prevented from entering the juvenile justice system and that youth who do enter the system should have access to effective services that will help them re-enter society successfully. The paper discusses promising reforms and encourages the adoption of new practices within communities across the country.
