Predictors of Mental Health Service Enrollment Among Juvenile Offenders

Abstract

The objective was to identify predictors of public mental health service enrollment among detained juvenile offenders. A representative sample of 228 juvenile detainees was interviewed with measures of psychological symptoms and impairment, associated risk factors, and demographic variables. Logistic regression analyses determined how the 110 youth enrolled in mental health services differed from the 118 youth not enrolled. Main effects were found for age, gender, and number of prior detention stays such that younger offenders, female offenders, and recidivists were more likely to have received mental health services. Mental health status, level of functioning, and frequency of substance use were not related to service enrollment. Race interacted with mental health symptoms and recidivism such that Caucasians with greater numbers of symptom elevations and prior detention stays were more likely to be enrolled in mental health services, whereas symptom elevations and recidivism were not related to service enrollment among African American offenders. Systematic assessment and referral procedures may be a necessary step toward improving the likelihood that mental health services are distributed to juvenile offenders on the basis of mental health need.

Juvenile Probation Officers’ Mental Health Decision Making

“…The mental health knowledge of a youth's PO and the absence of a county shortage in the availability of mental health professionals contributed additionally to service need identification. Lopez-Williams et al (2006), in a study of mental health utilization among detained youths, reported similar findings. There were more referrals for services among repeat offenders and in females, while there were no differences in current symptom levels between those using and not using services.…”

Risk for Disciplinary Infractions Among Incarcerated Male Youths

“…This finding, along with the high degree of co-occurring internalizing disorders among this sample of incarcerated youths, substantiates practice guidelines that recommend comprehensive and reliable mental health assessment among youths in justice settings (Weiss, Jackson, & Susser, 1997). Lopez-Williams and colleagues (Lopez-Williams, Vander Stoep, Kuo, & Stewart, 2006) argued that in the absence of systematic screening for mental health need, justice gatekeepers make use of "proxy variables" (such as disciplinary events) to determine which youths need services.…”

Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Services Among Youths in Detention

“…45 Gender disparities may be due to greater help-seeking behaviors among females than males 46 and the higher likelihood of females being be referred to mental health services. 44 Nearly three-fourths of youth had received services (including school services) prior to being detained, rates significantly higher than among youth in the community 47-49 and comparable to rates of service use among youth receiving services in public service sectors. 42 , 43 , 50, 51 Past service use was associated with attitudes toward services.…”

“…10,39 African American and Hispanic detainees had received significantly fewer past services than non-Hispanic white youth, similar to patterns among youth in the general population and public sectors of care. [40][41][42][43][44] Compared with females, male detainees also had received significantly fewer past services.…”