Part of what Mississippi needs to reform to impact our juvenile justice system is better mental health care. That doesn't mean arresting children who are mentally ill and acting out instead of sending them for an evaluation, which is what we do. Many kids don't even need drugs they need counseling and yes some of their parents need parenting classes, but not all. It is an insult to parents for Rep. Banks to say that parents basically use detention centers as places to house their children because they don't want to parent them. ToThis is why programs that offer wraparound services are so important. My daughter went to Hinds Detention Center and I assure you that is NOT my story nor is that the story of many of the families I encountered. assume every child who ends up in detention is the product of bad parenting is ridiculous and biased.

Part of what Mississippi needs to reform to impact our juvenile justice system is better mental health care. That's a good point, the only but is that they (the current powers that be) want to go to a community (County) based set-up, that is more friendly for the private sector and trying to lessen the burden on the tax-payers of the state. Which in turn means the demand for insurance will go up and along with the prices.

I agree. The whole system is broken. Many kids have medicaid and CHIPS and because they don't pay worth crap doctors don't take it. Its easier to get pills from a GP for a kid than therapy yet therapy and wrap around prevention/diversion services cost us far less in the long run. It is more than just parenting, its schools, community programs, and the juvenile justice system together.

I run a community-based mental health program for teens in crisis and their families. I receive a LOT of referrals from HYJJC. We take Medicaid and CHIPS and what we don't pay for thru billing those insurances, we eat in cost. I link to a program that provides community based therapy in-home for free to parents and families that need it. There are not enough of us in this state to cover the need. Moving from an institutional model to a community-based model is great (everywhere else did it years ago). But when you are shifting models and have not invested enough funds into the model you which to utilize (community-based), there are going to be a LOT of people that fall thru the cracks in the transtion. I'm chronically underfunded and never fully staffed (as are most of the community-based programs of which I know). I agree with the shift, I do. But, I don't agree with forcing a shift that isn't funded properly as it will do nothing but throw an overburnded system into another tail spin. Its going to get worse before it gets better, kids.

@ Lori G "But when you are shifting models and have not invested enough funds into the model you which to utilize (community-based), there are going to be a LOT of people that fall thru the cracks in the transtion." and that is the point I wanted to make, that instead of the state funding it - they want the bulk of the responsibility to go to places like Brentwood and etc etc.

Not really. Brentwood is still an institution. They want the bulk of the responsibility to be on community mental health centers in the counties--not at state hospital level. That is the major change we are seeing right now. They are increasing Medicaid monies available for community-based services as they shut down the large state run institutions. But the entire model neglects the fact (that most mental health people do NOT like to talk about) that institutions are used because, at times, they are NEEDED. Some people cannot be maintained in the community. So, I'm interested to see what they do about that once all the larger State hospitals have either shut down or reduced their inpatient beds to almost nil. They don't really WANT places like Brentwood to pick up the slack because the Feds could still say they are overusing institutional placements. Its just going to be a mess. Our community mental health centers are already underfunded and overworked and this is just like dumping the state hospitals on to them as well. Going to be a LOT more crisis work happening in the communities. One of the good things that I am seeing (in regards to juvenile justice) is HYJJC consistently reaching out to my facility regarding juveniles who have a mental health diagnosis or mental health concerns. It IS happening on some scale at HYJJC. Its been years since I was closely involved with Henley Young, so I do not know how the process is currently. I do know it was better ten years ago when federal grants allowed a mental health evaluator on staff at all times from our Children's Mental Health programs (at one time we funded a position at HYJJC just for the kids with mental health issues and the person was a paid CCI emloyee). I have no idea how they are handling their referrals for MH services now.

They want the bulk of the responsibility to be on community mental health centers in the counties--not at state hospital level. I know that, that's why I said what I said earlier. I think we are on the same page, but then at the same token it seems we are not. I think the community based system is a good approach, I'm just concerned with the funding. I've seen massive cuts in New York and Ohio, I've seen how shutting down the big institutions in Louisiana affected the small towns and New Orleans as a whole down there. I just hope we learn from their mistakes, places like Ohio, New York and Louisiana.

Oh, I gotcha! I also believe the community based system is the right approach (seen too many kids live too long at institutions) but, like you said, after massive cuts the community system itself is barely limping along. Then you UNLEASH the larger hospitals on it and expect them to pick up the slack. I would expect a wee uptick in the homeless population, at least. :)

Great article Valerie! To Multigirl, Lori G and Duan C I suspect that most of the kids involved in the juvenile justice system are not mentally challenged. Probably most are just getting into trouble with recurring negative and possibly criminal behavior, which studies have shown for decades can be prevented with a comprehensive, publically funded program of supervised recreational, sports and art programs. JPD is about to CELEBRATE finally getting 500 police officer at a minimum public cost of $30,000+ a year salaries (plus overtime). Why not decrease the need for more police officers(tail end investments) by setting a concurrent goal of training and employing 200 or so part time($10,000)coaches, music & art instructors, entrepreneurial training consultants, etc (front end investments). The MS Department of Corrections and the Legislature have finally discovered that it's too expensive to lock up all of those "hardened tail end chicken criminal hearts". Let's get smart as a community and plan on spending more money on those "tender front end juvenile spirits". The first thing you do to get out of a hole is to stop digging! Pay me now or pay me later?

First of all Frank, mental challenged and mentally ill are two very different things. I have children who can be considered both so I know. I don't disagree with you. However, what we are speaking to are the children who are already broken and believe me there are so many. I see them every day in my neighborhood. They don't have parents who are resourceful or know how to work in the system. They have parents who are tired and have their own problems with mental health and addiction. They can't help but need mental health services. Let me be clear when I say many of these kids need mental health services I am NOT saying all them are mentally ill. However, many have grown up seeing and experiencing things that have mentally scarred them and at a minimum they need some counseling. We all know having caring adults in your life can counter act the effects of a bad if not horrible home life but once the damage is done we can't afford to keep throwing these kids away. I have told my daughter I don't care if I have to be attached to her hip I will not give up on her. We are dealing everyday with her illness, behavior, and working towards change. Also don't be so quick to dismiss how many children in the DC have mental health issues. I think people look at it like its an excuse and for some it may be but I have seen some kids that are really suffering. This is from someone who is not for labeling and medicating kids if you don't have to. All I can say is these kids are all our kids if the city won't fund teams and stuff then we need to get together and make things happen. I know I am only one women but a little boy stole my daughters MP3 player last year I tracked him down and got it back when I met his family and heard more about him I have tried to take him and his brother under my wing. There are bright souls under many bad acts, and this is the age of correction :) We all have a chance to reach out to at least one child if not even if its in a seemingly minor way like listening to them, you may be the only one who does. (getting off soap box)

Laurie B. R. Whoa, hold up! First of all I agree with everything you, Lori G or Duan C have said. I never said that I disagreed. I am not in the mental health industry so I realize that have no perspective or credibility on matters mental, so I made sure I didn't say anything to discount what was previously said What I did say was most of the kids in the juvenile justice system are not mentally challenged, which in my universe includes mental illness. So again I didn't disagree with anything that was previously said. My point was to propose and re-introduce the possibility of including an additional, more universal and more accessible tool to help address the situation of more and more kids entering the juvenile justice system. A solution that wouldn't include utilizing more and more highly paid and highly educated professionals (police, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, , etc). Paid part time coaches could provide some of the adult counseling, caring, socialization, nurturing, that most of the kids entering the JJS are lacking. You moré or less said the same thing in your comment back to me where you related your own personal experience. Of course these part time coaches would have to receive some basic training, but as an experienced and trained former YMCA volunteer team coach, I know that the training could be done in a few weekend sessions rather than 4 -6 years of college. What’s the advantage of paid coaches over volunteer coaches? First of all they would be easier to recruit. Second you might get retired and/or under employed educators and artists on board. We have educational recreational and athletic resources sitting idle not because we don’t have the facilities, or the kids who want to participate, but rather because we don’t have enough volunteers to meet the need. My point was to introduce a more universal tool to address the situation that wouldn't include utilizing more highly paid and highly educated professionals (police, psychaitristsm psycologists, social workers. etc.