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Kids at Risk Action (KARA) – Children's Rights Advocacy Network

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« More Volunteers Needed For Children In Court SystemJuvenile Injustice – Mental Health
Published by Mike Tikkanenon February 11, 2010in Health and Mental Health, Public Policy and The States. 0 Comments
Tags: lack of oversight in New York's mental health facilities for youth mirrors the rest of the nation..

Today’s NY Times article on the lack of oversight in New York’s mental health facilities for youth mirrors the rest of the nation.

2 Important truths; most of the youth in the juvenile justice system have come through child protection services, & a large percentage of these youth suffer from mental health issues.

Children don’t become involved in child protection systems unless they have suffered extended exposure to violence and deprivation in their birth homes.

The World Health Organizations definition of Torture is; Extended Exposure to Violence and Deprivation – Trauma.

New York is now spending about $250,000 per year / per youth in their juvenile justice system.

http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2009/12/14/new-york-meet-missouri/

In my experience as a guardian ad-Litem in MN I have watched really terrible things happen to very troubled children under the direction of people and programs that were supposed to be “helping” the child.

One young boy walked home many miles without a coat, on a sub zero MN night (with no home to go to) from a juvenile facility after being severely abused.

While it would be easy to blame the people in the institutions, it is really the fault of poor public policy, resulting from lack of understanding of underlying issues.

Mental health is all about functioning within our communities. Bear that in mind as you read the New York Times article and the following KARA pieces.

My note on the following; The amount of psychotropic medications being proscribed to this population is enormous in relation to the the therapy that is needed but not available.


For Detained Youths, No Mental Health Overseer
By JULIE BOSMAN New York Times

Published: February 10, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/nyregion/11youth.html

Other Invisible Children mental health articles;


http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2009/03/10/a-grim-truth-about-big-pharma/


http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2009/06/21/amy-shermans-blog-for-floridas-at-risk-children/



http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2009/06/05/study-early-therapy-can-save-teens-from-depression/

http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2008/09/28/ptsd-study-of-abused-children/


http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2009/07/23/abandoned-abandoned-again-and-tasered-whats-next-for-at-risk-youth/


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http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=2468497&trk=anet_ug_hm

Become part of our email network by sending a request to join to; amy.rostronledoux@yahoo.com

http://www.invisiblechildren.org/2010/02/11/juvenile-injustice-mental-health/