Juvenile Mental Health Court: Rationale and Protocols

• NCJ Number: 192595
• Journal: Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 52 Issue: 4 Dated: Fall 2001 Pages: 1-19
• Author(s): David E. Arredondo M.D.; Kurt Kumli J.D.; Larry Soto LCSW; Enrique Colin J.D.; Jill Ornellas B.A.; Raymond J. Davilla Jr.; Leonard P. Edwards; Eugene M. Hyman
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Under the sponsorship of the judiciary, the Santa Clara County Juvenile Court (California) in partnership with the Juvenile Mental Health Department and a technical assistance agency (SOLOMON), has pioneered a juvenile mental health court for seriously mentally ill children who have become involved in the criminal justice system.

Abstract

The court is called the Court for the Individualized Treatment of Adolescents (CITA). CITA is a multidisciplinary response to mentally ill juvenile offenders who have been referred to the delinquency system. It holds adolescent offenders strictly accountable for their behavior while matching them to appropriate diagnostic, therapeutic, and aftercare interventions. CITA currently accepts mentally ill juveniles petitioned with a range of misdemeanor and/or felony offenses; however, juveniles aged 14 and older at the time of the offense who are currently charged with or have previously sustained petitions for serious violent felonies are not eligible. The mental health coordinator is responsible for presenting the mental health assessment findings -- psychological, behavioral, social, familial, educational issues -- to the multidisciplinary team (MDT). The probation department's role is to implement the directives of the court and supervise each minor while assisting in the development of the juvenile's treatment plan. A prosecutor is assigned to the MDT for the purpose of assessing minors' current conduct and criminal history relative to their suitability for the program. If a minor is deemed suitable and acceptable to the program, the prosecutor contributes to the formulation and implementation of the treatment plan. The deputy public defender assigned to the MDT is trained to recognize and handle issues in the CITA. The Superior Court judge assigned to the court handles the case from acceptance through dismissal. Each juvenile appears before the court regularly for reviews that assess the status of treatment progress. Modifications in treatment plans are made when deemed appropriate. Four case descriptions of juveniles processed by the CITA are presented. 2 figures, 9 notes, and 21 references