Presidential Proclamation: National Youth Justice Awareness Month, 2015; News Roundup

Every week Reclaiming Futures rounds up the latest news on juvenile justice reform, adolescent substance use treatment, and teen mental health. 

Writing a National Prescription to Improve the Mental Health of America's Youth (Huffington Post)
Identifying and intervening early can prevent developmental delays, juvenile justice involvement, and other long-term complications of mental disorders for children and adolescents. We all have a role to play. 

Presidential Proclamation -- National Youth Justice Awareness Month, 2015 (The White House)
President Obama has proclaimed October 2015 "National Youth Justice Awareness Month" with the intention of facilitating youth justice system reform, and to call upon communities to support positive youth development and support programs nationwide. Read the entire proclamation here.

Obama Launches New Initiative to Combat Chronic Absenteeism (NBC News)
The Obama Administration is launching "Every Student, Every Day," a new program set to reduce chronic absenteeism in schools nationwide. The program is part of Obama's "My Brother's Keeper" (MBK) initiative, which has already demonstrated success inspiring communities to decrease truancy rates and provide support for students.

House Committee Hears Strong Calls for JJDPA Reauthorization (Juvenile Justice Information Exchange)
While the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a JJDPA (Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act) reauthorization bill over the summer, on Thursday House lawmakers were called to take their own action in reauthorizing JJDPA.

New Practice Guide: LGBT Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (The Annie E. Casey Foundation)
This new Annie E. Casey Foundation juvenile detention practice guide recognizes the unique experiences, well-documented risks, and specific needs of LGBT youth, which recent research shows make up a significant percentage of youth in the system.

Can justice be served without putting kids behind bars? (Crosscut)
Seattle’s City Council recently passed Resolution 31614 as part of the city’s intention to discontinue use of juvenile correctional facilities, or what the Annie E. Casey Foundation refers to as “youth prisons.” At the heart of Seattle’s reform, advocate groups call for the implementation of restorative justice.*

Mental Health Awareness Week 2015: #IAmStigmaFree (Forbes)
October 4-10 is Mental Health Awareness Week which serves as "an important reminder of the stigma that still exists toward persons who are diagnosed with mental illness."

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. We encourage you to browse, and to post!

*Learn more about Restorative Justice by joining our interactive webinar next Tuesday, October 13th at 10:00am PST / 1:00pm EST

Updated: September 23 2020