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Sunday, July 06, 2008
Ind. Courts - "Clark County on forefront of juvenile treatment"
Tara Hettinger of the Jeffersonville Evening News & Tribune reports in a story that begins:
Clark County Superior Court Judge Vicki Carmichael has seen her share of youth coming through her courtroom.“Over the years, there are so many kids that go through the [juvenile justice] system time and time again and you’re never really sure what’s going on with them,” Carmichael said. “You know something is wrong, but you can’t quite pinpoint it.”
Now, Clark County’s juvenile detention center is one of six chosen in the state to participate in a pilot program, targeted at finding that problem and fixing it.
The Juvenile Mental Health Screening, Assessment and Treatment Pilot Project, initiated by the Indiana State Bar Association, focuses on screening youths within hours of their arrival in the juvenile justice system for mental health and substance abuse disorders. Treatment, such as counseling, is then administered to those who need it.
Clark’s center — which also serves youth in Floyd, Harrison and Scott counties — has been doing the screenings since Jan. 1. Carmichael said though it is too early to see any changes in the number of youth in the juvenile justice system, she does see an obvious increase in those getting help.
Judge Mary Harper, who is the chair of the advisory board for the project, said this program not only benefits the children, but also those who work with them, such as employees in the detention centers. She said it helps the employees address the needs of the youth as well as improve safety.
Harper said youth are still held accountable for their offenses. However, she said oftentimes children are acting out due to issues that can be resolved through treatment.
Carmichael compared the old way of “putting Band-Aids” on the issues, while this process helps to heal the problems and prevent the children from returning.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on July 6, 2008 10:06 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts