WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO STOP THE CYCLE OF YOUTH SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT

Youth who are involved in the juvenile justice, child welfare, and behavioral health systems often share one thing in common: the inability to leave those systems after only a single placement or treatment program. According to a 2021 study conducted by Pew Charitable Trust, youth who were placed into residential care averaged six out-of-home placements, with 48% experiencing between five and 11 out-of-home placements and just 9% experiencing only one placement. Additionally, youth sent to residential placement spent 16 months away from home over the course of a case, averaging roughly 6.5 months out of home in each residential placement. Nearly 20% of these youth were cumulatively kept out of their homes for more than 2 years.

Youth who experience long stays in care, repeated placements, or repeated treatment programs often experience long-term negative impacts, including educational disruption, decreased physical and mental health, and overall poor outcomes.

This white paper examines the causes of repeated placements and the impacts on system-involved youth, while also offering a data-driven solution that will lead to decreased placements, less time in the system and overall better outcomes for youth.

Download this white paper to :

• Understand the shortcomings of current child placement practices
• Learn about the benefits of service matching
• Discover the data – driven solution to improving short and long-term outcomes for system-involved youth