BACKGROUND: Although detained youth evidence increased rates of mental illness, relatively few adolescents utilize mental health care upon release from detention. Thus, the goal of this study is to understand the process of mental health care engagement upon community reentry for mentally-ill detained youth. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 19 youth and caregiver dyads (39 participants) recruited from four Midwest counties affiliated with a state-wide mental health screening project. Previously detained youth (ages 11-17), who had elevated scores on a validated mental health screening measure, and a caregiver were interviewed 30 days post release. A critical realist perspective was used to identify themes on the detention and reentry experiences that impacted youth mental health care acquisition. RESULTS: Youth perceived detention as a crisis event and having detention-based mental health care increased their motivation to seek mental health care at reentry. Caregivers described receiving very little information regarding their child during detention and felt out of the loop, which resulted in mental health care utilization difficulty. Upon community reentry, long wait periods between detention release and initial contact with court or probation officers were associated with decreased motivation for youth to seek care. However, systemic coordination between the family, court and mental health system facilitated mental health care connection. CONCLUSIONS: Utilizing mental health care services can be a daunting process, particularly for youth upon community reentry from detention. The current study illustrates that individual, family-specific and systemic issues interact to facilitate or impair mental health care utilization. As such, in order to aid youth in accessing mental health care at detention release, systemic coordination efforts are necessary. The systematic coordination among caregivers, youth, and individuals within the justice system are needed to reduce barriers given that utilization of mental health care is a complex process.

We reviewed research regarding system- and visit-level strategies to enhance clinical preventive service delivery and quality for adolescents and young adults. Despite professional consensus on recommended services for adolescents, a strong evidence base for services for young adults, and improved financial access to services with the Affordable Care Act's provisions, receipt of preventive services remains suboptimal. Further research that builds off successful models of linking traditional and community clinics is needed to improve access to care for all youth. To optimize the clinical encounter, promising clinician-focused strategies to improve delivery of preventive services include screening and decision support tools, particularly when integrated into electronic medical record systems and supported by training and feedback. Although results have been mixed, interventions have moved beyond increasing service delivery to demonstrating behavior change. Research on emerging technology-such as gaming platforms, mobile phone applications, and wearable devices-suggests opportunities to expand clinicians' reach; however, existing research is based on limited clinical settings and populations. Improved monitoring systems and further research are needed to examine preventive services facilitators and ensure that interventions are effective across the range of clinical settings where youth receive preventive care, across multiple populations, including young adults, and for more vulnerable populations with less access to quality care.

Youth involved in the legal system (YILS) experience rates of opioid and substance use disorders (OUD/SUDs) and overdose that is well above those in the general population. Despite the dire need, and the existing programs that focus on treatment of these problems in YILS, research on opioid initiation, and OUD prevention, including feasibility and sustainability, are severely limited. We present four studies testing interventions that, while not necessarily novel as SUD treatments, test novel structural and interpersonal strategies to prevent opioid initiation/OUD precursors: (1) ADAPT (Clinical Trial No. NCT04499079) provides real-time feedback using community-based treatment information system data to create a more effective mental health and SUD treatment cascade to prevent opioid use; (2) HOME (Clinical Trial No. NCT04135703) provides youth experiencing homelessness, including YILS, with direct access to shelter in independent living without prerequisites as an opioid initiation prevention strategy; (3) LeSA (Clinical Trial No. NCT04678960) uses the Trust-Based Relational Intervention® to equip YILS and their caregivers with self-regulatory and communication skills during the transition from secure confinement to reduce opioid initiation/re-initiation; and (4) POST (Clinical Trial No. NCT04901312) tests two interventions integrating interpersonal/drinking and drug refusal skills, case management, and goal setting among YILS in transitioning out of secure detention as opioid initiation prevention strategies. We discuss early implementation barriers and facilitators, including complexities of prevention research with YILS and adaptations due to COVID-19. We conclude by describing anticipated end products, including implementation of effective prevention interventions and integration of data from multiple projects to address larger, multi-site research questions.

Background

Youth in the justice system (YJS) are more likely than youth who have never been arrested to have mental health and substance use problems. However, a low percentage of YJS receive SUD services during their justice system involvement. The SUD care cascade can identify potential missed opportunities for treatment for YJS. Steps along the continuum of the cascade include identification of treatment need, referral to services, and treatment engagement. To address gaps in care for YJS, we will (1) implement a learning health system (LHS) to develop, or improve upon, alliances between juvenile justice (JJ) agencies and community mental health centers (CMHC) and (2) present local cascade data during continuous quality improvement cycles within the LHS alliances.

Methods/design

ADAPT is a hybrid Type II effectiveness implementation trial. We will collaborate with JJ and CMHCs in eight Indiana counties. Application of the EPIS (exploration, preparation, implementation, and sustainment) framework will guide the implementation of the LHS alliances. The study team will review local cascade data quarterly with the alliances to identify gaps along the continuum. The study will collect self-report survey measures longitudinally at each site regarding readiness for change, implementation climate, organizational leadership, and program sustainability. The study will use the Stages of Implementation Completion (SIC) tool to assess the process of implementation across interventions. Additionally, the study team will conduct focus groups and qualitative interviews with JJ and CMHC personnel across the intervention period to assess for impact.

Discussion

Findings have the potential to increase SUD need identification, referral to services, and treatment for YJS.