Module 1: Overview of the Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Treatment Systems

5C. Barriers to Families' Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System

Family involvement with youth in the justice system can be particularly difficult. Youth are placed at facilities some distance from their own communities, thus making regular contact with family members infrequent. Transportation can be a significant barrier for those parents without personal vehicles and requiring help with childcare during visits. Treatment staff hours often do not overlap with typical visiting hours, thus making family involvement unlikely. Transition planning for youth requires coordination of multiple systems (parole, schools, child welfare, mental health, substance abuse). When parents have not been participants in this process or do not have the skills to advocate for needed services, successful outcomes are unlikely.

5D. What Families Need

The Federation of Families (1995) advocates that families with youth who have co-occurring disorders require the following support:

• Nonauthoritarian help
• Education
• Information in a timely, straightforward, and accessible fashion, free of jargon and acronyms
• Opportunities to exercise their management skills
• Safety, closeness, and appreciation
• Expressions of opinion and emotion
• Acceptance of their diversity
• Access, voice, ownership
• Respect