Our Children Really are Facing a Mental Health Crisis; News Roundup

Juvenile Justice Reform

• Hon. Amy L. Nechtem Appointed Chief Justice of the Juvenile Court by Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey (Mass.gov)
  “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Judge Amy Nechtem to lead the Juvenile Court in promoting positive outcomes for children and families,” said Chief Justice Carey.  “Her judicial and leadership experience will advance juvenile justice and child welfare using the latest research, data analysis and evidence-based practices over the next five years."
• Why Are Kids Being Tried in Kangaroo Courts? (Rolling Stone)
  "I've seen kids as young as five go into court without a lawyer," says Wendy Young, president of Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), which represents unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children. And, she says, the number of children apprehended and into federal custody each year is skyrocketing – it's increased from between 6,000-8,000 children per year before 2011 to 25,000 in 2013.
• House Approves Keeping Youthful Misdemeanors in Juvenile Court (WRAL.com)
  North Carolina and New York are the only states that still treat juvenile offenders as adults. Proponents of the bill argue that harsh repercussions for teen misdemeanants’ youthful misdeeds loom unfairly over their job and college applications, even when records are expunged.
   

Jobs, Grants, Events and Webinars

• Please share the Reclaiming Futures Opportunity Board with your colleagues in the juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse and teen mental health areas. It's free to browse and post!

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Mental Health

• Research Roundup: Reality Shows Contributed to Decline in Teen Childbearing—but Other Factors Also Played a Role (NCFY)
  Since “16 and Pregnant” debuted in 2009, followed by its spin-offs, “Teen Mom” and “Teen Mom 2,” there has been debate over whether the shows accurately portray early motherhood and its challenges or glamorize it. Two recent studies try to inject some data into the conversation, looking at the shows’ impact on teens' attitudes and behaviors.
• Our Children Really are Facing a Mental Health Crisis (The Guardian)
   Childline reports that in 2013 it experienced a 41% increase in reports of self-harm and a 33% increase of children reporting suicidal thoughts over the previous year.
• Holder Speaks Out Against Solitary Confinement of Mentally Ill Youths (JJIE.org)
  “This practice is particularly detrimental to young people with disabilities, who are at increased risk under these circumstances of negative effects, including self-harm and even suicide,” the attorney general said. “In fact, one national study found that half of the victims of suicides in juvenile facilities were in isolation at the time they took their own lives, and 62 percent of victims had a history of solitary confinement.”
• How Teen Social Life Affects Drug Abuse And How Drug Abuse Affects Social Life (Psych Central)
  When a teen’s social life turns south, drug abuse can follow. The opposite is also true, that drug abuse itself can destroy a teen’s otherwise successful social life.
   

Cecilia Bianco is an account executive for Prichard Communications. She contributes to the Reclaiming Futures blog regarding topics of juvenile justice reform and substance abuse prevention.