NCJ Number
242121
Date Published
January 2011
Length
308 pages
Annotation
In compliance with the 2002 Virginia General Assembly's Senate Joint Resolution 99, the General Assembly's Commission on Youth presents this fourth edition of a collection of evidence-based practices that have proven effective in treating youth with mental health needs, including juvenile offenders.
Abstract
This collection is intended to assist educators, service providers, parents, caregivers, and others seeking information on evidence-based mental health practices for youth. Following an introduction, the report discusses research on the role of the family in mental health treatment programs as both recipients of services and providers of environments and advocacy beneficial to the child. This is followed by the identification of key components of successful treatment programs as determined by independent and properly designed and conducted evaluations. A reference chart of mental disorders and associated evidence-based treatments is then presented. Next, a series of presentations focuses on the features of evidence-based practices for various mental disorders. The disorders addressed are intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, adjustment disorders, and behavior disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant and conduct disorders. Various maladaptive behaviors are then examined, including sexual offending, eating disorders, juvenile firesetting, and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior. Other sections separately address habit disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mood disorders (depression and dysthymia, and pediatric bipolar disorders. Other sections focus on early-onset schizophrenia, substance-use disorders, youth suicide, school-based mental health services, and juvenile offending. Attention is also given to antidepressants and the risk of suicidal behavior, a general description of providers, providers licensed in Virginia, terms used in Virginia's mental health delivery system, and commonly used acronyms and abbreviations. A list of sources for the programs and research described is provided, as well as appended relevant General Assembly resolutions.