A Public Health Approach to Address the Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders

Abstract

The Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Youth Service Program adopted a public health approach to address the mental health needs of incarcerated juvenile offenders in Massachusetts. The program, which operated for 6 years, provided psychiatric care and neuropsychological assessment to delinquent youth as well as training for psychiatry residents, neuropsychology fellows and Massachusetts Department of Youth Services’ staff. The program recognized and attempted to address the health care disparity of limited access to quality mental health services for incarcerated youth, particularly those from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds. The program was a collaborative venture among the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health and Youth Services, and Tufts-New England Medical Center. The scope of the problem of mental health care for incarcerated youth will be first outlined, followed by a history and evaluation of the program from a public health and system integration perspective.

Citation

McMackin, R.A. and Pittel, E. (2005), "A Public Health Approach to Address the Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders", Hartwell, S.W. (Ed.) The Organizational Response to Persons with Mental Illness Involved with the Criminal Justice System (Research in Social Problems and Public Policy, Vol. 12), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 3-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0196-1152(05)12001-8