Breaking the cycle of youth crime

In her nearly three years of handling juvenile cases, Montgomery County Judge Mary Ann Turner has seen a growing number of young people in trouble with the law because of behavior related to a mental health disorder.
Their crimes range from truancy and theft to more serious acts such as family violence and assault. The juveniles are placed in detention, but when they get out their problems often persist.
“I have detention docket three days a week,” said Turner, who presides over Court-at-law No. 4. “I can look out there, and I know half these kids. If you don't address the underlying cause of the behavior with kids at this age, you can release them, and they'll be back.”

To break that cycle, the county has launched a pilot program to get juveniles with mental health needs out of the criminal system and into an intensive program at home. The program matches the child and his family with a juvenile probation officer, a counselor and Tri-County Mental Health Mental Retardation case manager. The team provides treatment and counseling four times a week.

The program is part of a statewide effort to develop more community-based services in an effort to reduce the number of youth in Texas Youth Commission facilities.
State lawmakers this year approved $50 million over the next two years to support juvenile diversion programs. The Texas Juvenile Probation Commission appropriation also included a provision to address mental health needs.
Pressing need

All counties have been given an opportunity to receive a grant to create or expand existing programs.
Montgomery County is receiving $255,500, and will use about $50,000 to expand its at-home program. Harris and Fort Bend counties, which each have mental health programs similiar to Montgomery County, also have accepted grant money. Harris County will get $4.1 million, and Fort Bend will get $204,400.
So far, only 15 counties, including Brazoria County in the Houston area, have not submitted plans to receive funding, state officials said.

While not all grant money will be used to focus on mental health, there is a pressing need for such services statewide, particularly in rural and suburban areas, said juvenile justice officials. In 2008, about 32 percent of young people referred to the juvenile probation system had mental health needs, compared to 25 percent in 2005, according to state records.
“One of the things that's important to recognize is that as they move through the justice system, the prevalence is higher,” said Linda Brooke, director of external affairs for the juvenile probation commission. About 60 percent of juveniles in TYC facilities have mental health issues, which means their needs become more compounded, Brooke said.