The Minnesota Juvenile Justice & Mental Health Initiative

Identifying and responding to the mental health needs of youth in contact with the juvenile justice system is recognized as a critical issue at the national, state, and local levels (Cocozza & Skowyra, 2000). Based on 2005 mental health screening data, it appears that approximately 70 percent of justice-involved youth in Minnesota have mental health disorders.

In 2007, the DOC, in partnership with state and local agencies and organizations, established the Juvenile Justice & Mental Health Initiative to improve outcomes through systems change for youth in the justice system with mental health or co-occurring disorders. A 44-member interagency advisory task force formed as part of the initiative met throughout 2007 and 2008 to address issues impacting this group of youth and make recommendations for systems change.

The issues are myriad and complex. The task force used multiple approaches to conduct a statewide strength and gaps analysis including the use of the “Blueprint for Change” model to help frame the issues; the compilation of a “Data Book” of all national and local work already undertaken in this area; and focus group information collected throughout the state.

Four themes repeatedly emerged from the focus group data and from review of the literature. These four themes became the first round of Initiative issues to be tackled and generated a series of recommendations for change. Key recommendations were made in each of the four areas:

• The need to collect data that better informs the process and to share data without jeopardizing the legal interests of youth as defendants
• The need for post-screening coordination
• The need to better engage families and caregivers as partners
• The need for evidence-based, community-based mental health interventions that are effective with justice-involved youth

The DOC issued a report with the findings and recommendations of the task force available at Juvenile Justice & Mental Health Initiative Final Report, August 2008 - pdf format

2007 Data Book - Powerpoint Show