Texas survey: Youths in custody have mental health problems
May 9th, 2008From the Houston Chronicle:
Nearly half of the youths locked up in the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center [have] mental health problems — far more than the estimated 20 percent with mental disorders in the general youth population — figures released Thursday show. [Harris County includes Houston.]
These youngsters, mostly teenagers, have been diagnosed with maladies including bipolar and attention deficit disorders, according to data compiled by a group of organizations studying the issue. Nearly 20 percent have severe emotional problems, the data show, and a quarter had never been diagnosed previously.
“For the first time ever we’ve collected amazing data that really give us the hard facts about what issues are there and what diagnosis we need to treat,” said Betsy Schwartz, president of Mental Health America of Greater Houston. The nonprofit agency and the county juvenile probation department are coordinating Operation Redirect, a collaboration of local groups trying to prevent mentally ill kids from ending up behind bars.
See related posts:
- Mentally ill strain Georgia prisons
- Editorial: Help — not jail — needed for people with mental illness
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on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 9:13 am and is filed under ADHD, abuse, bipolar, brain damage, criminal justice, emotionally disturbed.
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