Mental Health Care of Detained Youth Within Juvenile Detention Facilities

Kevin Whitley; Camille Tastenhoye; Amanda Downey; John S Rozel

doi:10.1016/j.chc.2021.09.002

Mental Health Care of Detained Youth Within Juvenile Detention Facilities

Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2022 Jan;31(1):31-44. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2021.09.002.

Authors

Kevin Whitley¹, Camille Tastenhoye², Amanda Downey³, John S Rozel⁴

Affiliations

¹ Southwood Psychiatric Hospital, 2575 Boyce Plaza Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15241, USA.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
³ Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 245, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA.
⁴ University of Pittsburgh, resolve Crisis Services of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, 333 N Braddock Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 34801154
DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2021.09.002

Abstract

Mental health treatment of juvenile offenders and undocumented immigrant youth in detention provides a unique opportunity for treatment providers. Although the work may be challenging, the clinical needs and opportunities for early and meaningful interventions are significant. One of the best clinical experiences a psychiatrist can have is working with extremely high-risk youth to help them find safer and better developmental pathways. Few settings can offer such an opportunity to leverage clinical skills to improve the lives and futures of children and adolescents as are afforded to those professionals lucky enough to work in juvenile justice settings.

Keywords: Isolation; Juvenile detention; Juvenile justice; Mental health treatment; Seclusion; Solitary confinement; Trauma-informed care.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Humans
Juvenile Delinquency*
Mental Health*