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Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Ind. Gov't. - Last of 3-part series on juvenile facility problems

The last of a three-part series in the South Bend Tribune, by Nancy J. Sulok, on the problems the Department of Justice has found in Indiana's juvenile prisons appears today. It is headlined "Mental health policies criticized in report: The Department of Justice also concerned with education in juvenile facilities." Some quotes:

The report was extremely critical of the policy of taking youths off their medications when they enter the juvenile correction system. Youths sentenced to one of the state's facilities travel first to Logansport, where they spend roughly two weeks being evaluated. If the youth is taking medications to treat mental health problems, he routinely is taken off them.

"Logansport's psychiatrist reports that the purpose of this discontinuation practice is to institute a 'wash-out' period,'' the report says. That means the youth is taken off medicines so his behavior can be assessed and the need established for future use of drugs. * * *

A mother and father from Lake County said the discontinuation of medications is the biggest issue they have with the facility in South Bend. Their 15-year-old had received the medicines for ADHD and bipolar disorder while detained in Lake County, but they were withdrawn during intake at Logansport and were not restarted.

"They're trying to make (the boys) mess up on purpose to make them stay longer,'' the mother said.

H. David Donahue, DOC commissioner, said a conference was held after the DOJ's investigation to review and clarify the procedures for continuing, discontinuing or modifying psychotropic medicines when a youth is sent to the department. Efforts are being made to follow appropriate guidelines, he said.

See these earlier ILB entries: 10/17/05 and 10/16/05.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 18, 2005 11:40 AM
Posted to Indiana Government