Printed from PRA Web site > Expertise & Services > Specialy Areas > Juvenile Justice

In response to growing concern about the need to better identify and treat youth with mental health and co-occurring disorders in contact with the juvenile justice system, Policy Research Associates, Inc. established the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The Center's Mission:

• To promote awareness of the behavioral health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system
• To help the field develop improved policies and programs based on the best available research and practice



To fulfill its mission, the Center has four key objectives:



• To promote awareness of the behavioral health needs of youth
• Serve as a national resource to collect and disseminate evidence-based practices
• Conduct new research and evaluation to fill gaps in the existing knowledge base
• Foster systems and policy changes to improve services for these youth



A key aspect of the Center's mission is to provide practical assistance to individuals interested in behavioral health and juvenile justice issues.




Resources include:



• A comprehensive database of the best available research and information
• A compendium of effective and innovative programs and policies
• A list of experts and technical assistance resources
• Publications that synthesize current knowledge



In addition, the Center is home to a variety of interrelated projects that are supported by public and private organizations. They include:



• A National Resource Center designed to collect, develop, disseminate, and apply information to help guide and influence policy and practice in the field.


• The development of a comprehensive model for delivering a broad range of behavioral health services to youth in contact with the juvenile justice system.


• The collection and dissemination of new information on the prevalence of mental health problems among youth in the juvenile justice system.


• The provision of technical assistance materials to the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and their Families Program sites (Systems of Care grantees).


• The creation of a knowledge base regarding effective diversion and reintegration models for youth with co-occurring disorders in contact with the juvenile justice system. As part of this effort, we sponsored two national Policy Academies to help State and county teams develop comprehensive plans for providing mental health services to youth in contact with the juvenile justice system.



How We Can Help




We have extensive in-house resources and we work with a cadre of experts in the field of behavioral health and juvenile justice who can help you plan and develop appropriate services for youth involved with the juvenile justice system.




We offer:



• research and program examples
• technical assistance resources
• guidance on evidence-based practices
• strategies for building consensus among key stakeholders



For more information please call (518) 439-7415 or send email to pra@prainc.com

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Policy Research Associates
345 Delaware Avenue   |   Delmar, New York 12054   |   518.439.7415   |   www.prainc.com