The mental health orientation of juvenile courts

Effective systems of care for youth with emotional disorders require shared values among stakeholders toward a variety of mental health issues. Juveni le courts represent one stakeholder group whose values can affect the deliv ery of services to young offenders with or at risk of emotional disturbance s. This research uses statewide data from Tennessee to assess the mental he alth orientation (MHO) of juvenile courts, their use of treatment options f or offenders, and whether MHO influences the treatment referral decision. R esults show that courts have a positive MHO, but this subjective orientatio n does not correspond to higher treatment referral rates. Moreover, service referrals are at a considerably lower rate than estimates of need for this population of youth would predict. While positive MHO suggests a basis for nurturing the shared vision required for effective systems of care, other factors must be considered to account for courts' underutilization of treat ment options for juvenile offenders.