Gail A Wasserman1, Larkin S McReynolds1, Faye S Taxman1, Steven Belenko1, Katherine S Elkington1, Angela A Robertson1, Michael L Dennis1, Danica K Knight1, Hannah K Knudsen1, Richard Dembo1, Adam Ciarleglio1, Tisha R A Wiley1. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City (Wasserman, McReynolds, Elkington); Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (Taxman); Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University, Philadelphia, (Belenko); Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville (Robertson); Lighthouse Institute, Chestnut Health Systems, Normal, Illinois (Dennis); Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth (Knight); Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington (Knudsen); Department of Criminology, University of South Florida, Tampa (Dembo); Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Ciarleglio); National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Maryland (Wiley).
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Youths in the juvenile justice system often do not access needed behavioral health services. The behavioral health services cascade model was used to examine rates of substance use screening, identification of substance use treatment needs, and referral to and initiation of treatment among youths undergoing juvenile justice system intake and to identify when treatment access is most challenged. Characteristics associated with identification of behavioral health needs and linkage to community services were also examined. METHODS: Data were drawn from administrative records of 33 community justice agencies in seven states participating in Juvenile Justice-Translational Research on Interventions for Adolescents in the Legal System, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (N=8,307 youths). Contributions of youth, staff, agency, and county characteristics to identification of behavioral health needs and linkage to community services were examined. RESULTS: More than 70% (5,942 of 8,307) of youths were screened for substance use problems, and more than half needed treatment. Among those in need, only about one-fifth were referred to treatment, and among those referred, 67.5% initiated treatment. Overall, <10% of youths with identified needs initiated services. Multivariable multilevel regression analyses revealed several contributors to service-related outcomes, with youths' level of supervision being among the strongest predictors of treatment referral. CONCLUSIONS: Community justice agencies appear to follow an approach that focuses identification and linkage practices on concerns other than youths' behavioral health needs, although such needs contribute to reoffending. Local agencies should coordinate efforts to support interagency communication in the referral and cross-system linkage process.
OBJECTIVES: Youths in the juvenile justice system often do not access needed behavioral health services. The behavioral health services cascade model was used to examine rates of substance use screening, identification of substance use treatment needs, and referral to and initiation of treatment among youths undergoing juvenile justice system intake and to identify when treatment access is most challenged. Characteristics associated with identification of behavioral health needs and linkage to community services were also examined. METHODS: Data were drawn from administrative records of 33 community justice agencies in seven states participating in Juvenile Justice-Translational Research on Interventions for Adolescents in the Legal System, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (N=8,307 youths). Contributions of youth, staff, agency, and county characteristics to identification of behavioral health needs and linkage to community services were examined. RESULTS: More than 70% (5,942 of 8,307) of youths were screened for substance use problems, and more than half needed treatment. Among those in need, only about one-fifth were referred to treatment, and among those referred, 67.5% initiated treatment. Overall, <10% of youths with identified needs initiated services. Multivariable multilevel regression analyses revealed several contributors to service-related outcomes, with youths' level of supervision being among the strongest predictors of treatment referral. CONCLUSIONS: Community justice agencies appear to follow an approach that focuses identification and linkage practices on concerns other than youths' behavioral health needs, although such needs contribute to reoffending. Local agencies should coordinate efforts to support interagency communication in the referral and cross-system linkage process.
Authors: Gail A Wasserman; Larkin S McReynolds; Andria L Whited; Joseph M Keating; Hana Musabegovic; Yanling Huo Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2008-07-19
Authors: Gail A Wasserman; Larkin S McReynolds; Hana Musabegovic; Andria L Whited; Joseph M Keating; Yanling Huo Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2009-07-07
Authors: Steven Belenko; Danica Knight; Gail A Wasserman; Michael L Dennis; Tisha Wiley; Faye S Taxman; Carrie Oser; Richard Dembo; Angela A Robertson; Jessica Sales Journal: J Subst Abuse Treat Date: 2016-12-31
Authors: Danica K Knight; George W Joe; David T Morse; Corey Smith; Hannah Knudsen; Ingrid Johnson; Gail A Wasserman; Nancy Arrigona; Larkin S McReynolds; Jennifer E Becan; Carl Leukefeld; Tisha R A Wiley Journal: J Behav Health Serv Res Date: 2019-04 Impact factor: 1.505
Authors: Danica K Knight; Steven Belenko; Tisha Wiley; Angela A Robertson; Nancy Arrigona; Michael Dennis; John P Bartkowski; Larkin S McReynolds; Jennifer E Becan; Hannah K Knudsen; Gail A Wasserman; Eve Rose; Ralph DiClemente; Carl Leukefeld Journal: Implement Sci Date: 2016-04-29 Impact factor: 7.327
Authors: Steven Belenko; Richard Dembo; Danica K Knight; Katherine S Elkington; Gail A Wasserman; Angela A Robertson; Wayne N Welsh; James Schmeidler; George W Joe; Tisha Wiley Journal: J Subst Abuse Treat Date: 2022-06-19