While those of use working in the juvenile justice system often see the behaviors and challenges that children with mental health problems bring to us, we often see them too late, perhaps do a cursory job of assessing needs, and often turn to an ill-equipped service system too late. Advocates note that (1) only a small percentage of children who really need mental health services actually get those services when they need them, (2) a lot of the kids we see in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems do have diagnosable and treatable issues if we can identify them soon enough, and (3) we know more than ever about the cost-effectiveness of timely screening, assessment, and intervention with these children – working with the child and family at the right time does make a difference.

If you are looking for something to share with others in your community and in your system, check out Children’s Mental Health: What Every Policymaker Should Know, published in 2010.