The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), part of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, has released a resource guide, Screening and Assessing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System.

Click here to access the Guide.

The Guide provides information on instruments that can be used to screen and assess youth for mental health- and substance use-related disorders at various stages of the juvenile justice process. It includes

• Profiles of more than 50 instruments;
• Guidelines for selecting instruments; and
• Best practice recommendations for diverse settings and situations.

The Guide is intended as a basic tool for juvenile justice professionals working toward the goal of early, accurate identification of youth with mental disorders. Once identified, these youth can receive the services required to improve their lives, reduce recidivism, and promote community safety.

The Consensus Project does not specifically address issues related to individuals with mental illness in the juvenile justice system, but recognizes that these issues are no less pressing or complicated. For additional resources on issues at the intersection of mental illness and the juvenile justice system, visit the National Center for Mental
Health and Juvenile Justice web site.