User:Embomb701/sandbox

Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network. CJ101 Excelsior College By: Frank Aiello This network, an integral part of Models for Change, is working to improve programs and support for juveniles involved in the juvenile justice system that suffer from mental illness. Its focus is on creating a leadership community to address the ever increasing demands of the mental health care needs of juvenile offenders. This consists of various groups designed to put children and families in need in direct contact with the professionals that can best put them on a path to mental health and in this way avoid future contact with the criminal juvenile court system. In addition to qualified mental health professionals, this part of the Action Network encourages front-end diversion and workforce development. Front-end diversion includes services required for crisis intervention, urgent response teams available to schools as well as targeted mental health probation programs. In addition to these services, there is also education and training for law enforcement officers that work on the front lines. This provides law enforcement officers with the tools to identify cases of youth offenders that are in need of mental health care while providing juvenile court judges options to address the specific needs of these offenders in order to increase use of appropriate diversion programs geared toward rehabilitation. The most important element of the network provides a family youth engagement group to strengthen family involvement which can be paramount to success for youth offenders with mental health needs. The workforce development group is tasked with recognizing and responding to mental health needs through training and education. Families are trained on how to advocate for their children with the support of juvenile justice staff. These training and education initiatives provide resources and tools necessary for success.