This week I spoke with two groups about teens with mental illness in juvenile court.

On Monday, I shared with the Wyandotte County, Kansas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Last night, I was privileged to speak with about seventy parents and teens in the after care program at the Adolescent Center for Treatment of Johnson County Mental Health in Olathe, Kansas.

At both settings, we lamented the large number of teens in the juvenile system who suffer from mental health disorders. About seventy percent of all teens in juvenile justice suffer from mental health disorders, according to the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. Twenty five percent experience severe disorders.

For many of these teens and their families, juvenile court becomes the only way for them to access mental health services. Some families relinquish custody of their children just to get help. In juvenile court, mentally ill teens might be removed involuntarily from their parents' home.

I appreciate the invitations from NAMI and the Johnson County Mental Health Center to speak at their forums. However, the views in this post are my personal opinions, and may or may not represent the views of NAMI or the Johnson County Mental Health Center. I welcome comments from anyone who has experienced this system first hand. I also encourage any suggestions for change.