COMMUNITY CURRENTS

Children with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Criminal Justice System

By Zoya Yarnykh, PWDF Staff Attorney, and Margaret Weadick, Contributing Writer

PTSD is not something that only affects those returning from combat in wars that are being fought on foreign soil. Children across America are literally growing up in war zones, being exposed to violence and death on a regular basis. These kids are suffering from PTSD symptomatology and acting out. Mental disorders are going untreated, and often these kids end up in the juvenile justice system.

According to Dan Macallair, Executive Director of Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice (CJCJ) and Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology at San Francisco State University, two thirds of the kids in the U.S. court system have at least one mental illness, and the correctional system is not equipped with resources or staff to deal with those issues. These disorders range from behavioral problems to severe mental disorders, such as PTSD and bipolar disorder.

CJCJ, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides services to youth during different phases of the juvenile justice process through the Detention Diversion Advocacy Program (DDAP). Based in San Francisco, DDAP offers its clients intensive case management with a comprehensive range of community services. The newly implemented Community Options for Youth (COY) expands DDAP's delivery of services by providing therapeutic services to youths and their families before and after trial. All clients that participate in COY have been diagnosed with one or more mental health disorders.

Many youths who are diverted to CJCJ have mental health issues requiring additional support to fully succeed in the program. The agency has a licensed in-house MFT (marriage and family therapist), Margaret Hitchcock, who performs the initial assessment, establishes a treatment plan, and conducts individual, group, and family therapy. In addition, CJCJ has a contract with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and refers its clients for individualized treatment when it is indicated. Case managers work closely with the children to ensure that not only are the support services available, but that the kids take full advantage of those services. The most prevalent mental health issues that CJCJ clients often present with are PTSD, Oppositional Defiant or Conduct Disorders, mood disorders, and substance abuse issues.

With PTSD, the main challenge is to gain kids' trust and have them open up about things they have seen and experienced. Success of these programs can be seen from the story of "William," an African-American teenager with PTSD and a client of CJCJ. William lived in the Bayview-Hunter's Point neighborhood of San Francisco, an area known for its gang activity and violence. Seeing people being shot, killed or threatened with guns was not an uncommon occurrence. William became very skittish and nervous; he was diagnosed with PTSD, but not given treatment. Out of fear for his own safety, he began carrying a gun. While riding in the car with his uncle, his uncle was pulled over by the police, and the car was searched. William's gun was found. Fortunately for him, the gun had never been used in a crime. Guns that are purchased illegally, on the street, can link the owner to crimes he or she knows nothing about.

The odds were stacked against William. He was enrolled into DDAP and COY in San Francisco and put under intense supervision, therapy, and diverted from incarceration. His uncle took him out of the environment that caused William's PTSD, and, once he began treatment and moved out of the stressful environment, he was able to focus elsewhere. Initially, he got into sports; now he is focusing on both school and football. William has become a role model for kids and often speaks to younger children about coping with PTSD.

William's story is not uncommon and is a testament to the services CJCJ provides to its clients on a daily basis. The proof is in the numbers: DDAP has proven to result in lower recidivism rates than that of non-referred youth. "According to a University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) study, DDAP participants were 26% less likely to recidivate when compared to detained youth. In 2007 alone, CJCJ's DDAP served 149 youth with an 85% success rate."[1]

PWDF's Public Awareness and Education Program is focused on shedding light and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness by educating the community about the effects, treatment, abilities and limitations people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities often experience in their day-to-day life, as well as providing information about resources available to the individuals affected with psychiatric impaiments and their friend and/or families.

1 http://cjcj.org/detention_diversion_advocacy_program  

PWDF Profile

Who We Are

People With Disabilities Foundation is an operating 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California, which focuses on the rights of the mentally and developmentally disabled.

Services

Advocacy: PWDF advocates for Social Security claimant's disability benefits in eight Bay Area counties. We also provide services in disability rights, on issues regarding returning to work, and in ADA consultations, including areas of employment, health care, and education, among others. There is representation before all levels of federal court and Administrative Law Judges. No one is declined due to their inability to pay, and we offer a sliding scale for attorney's fees.

Education/Public Awareness: To help eliminate the stigma against people with mental disabilities in society, PWDF's educational program organizes workshops and public seminars, provides guest speakers with backgrounds in mental health, and produces educational materials such as videos.

Continuing Education Provider: State Bar of California MCLE, California Board of Behavioral Sciences Continuing Education, and Commission of Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.