The National Commission on Correctional Health Care launched a Juvenile Standards Task Force, which included physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and mental health experts from around the nation. Corrections1 reports “the revised and updated standards are up-to-date with best practices and knowledge gained over last seven years.”
“‘Not only does this revision reflect our current understanding of trauma-informed care, which is critical for supporting youths who are involved in the justice system, but it also acknowledges the disproportionate confinement of minority youth,’ Joseph Penn, MD, CCHP-MH, chairman of the Juvenile Standards Task Force, said. ‘Issues of special concern in juvenile correctional health care settings – such as self-injury, self-mutilative behaviors, and suicide attempts; LGBTQI youth; substance use; medicolegal issues such as use of restrictive housing, emergency psychotropic medication, and seclusion and restraint; cultural competency; ethical issues; and mandated reporting – receive attention in the standards.’
The standards reflect new knowledge gained over the last seven years, especially in the areas of supporting youth with adverse childhood experiences (ACES), such as abuse, neglect, and trauma.”
