What does the Center recommend to parents with children in the juvenile justice system?
Help your child to have an accurate mental health assessment. Although dealing with the justice system is often difficult, parents are the most important advocates for their children, and they can provide essential help to staff trying to meet their child s needs. You can help your child receive the most fitting services by providing complete and accurate information about your child s medical and mental health history. Help your child to get the mental health treatment s/he may need. When a child enters a juvenile justice facility, his/her mental health assessment helps staff know whether the child needs additional safety measures due to suicidal feelings, and whether s/he has a disorder needing treatment. Treatment may help your child feel and function better, and be less likely to repeat past mistakes. Advocate for routine re-assessment for mental health problems that may develop over time. The stress of being in a juvenile justice facility may bring on mental health problems in a c
