Ohio Brief Calls For Expanded Mental Health Services To Prevent Juvenile Justice Involvement

A policy brief released by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) concluded that juvenile detention is associated with negative mental health outcomes for youth and recommended steps state policymakers could take to reduce those impacts. The report identified nine recommendations focused on strengthening crisis intervention, increasing diversion from the juvenile justice system, and improving access to mental health treatment within juvenile detention facilities.

The brief, Policy Brief: Connections Between Youth Mental Health And The Juvenile Justice System by Jacob Santiago, MSW and Hailey Akah, JD, MA, reported that a majority of youth in facilities operated by the Ohio Department . . .