State assessment finds Kansas youth behavioral-health gaps; recommends early-intervention system and detention standards

Stephanie Uberal, deputy director of the Council of State Governments Justice Center, told the Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice that Kansas is the first state to develop a Stepping Up for Youth initiative and that a year-long assessment across KDOC, KDADS, DCF and OJA produced several findings and recommendations.

Uberal said the assessment found many young people in Kansas have behavioral-health needs and are “pushed into the juvenile justice system really to receive services rather than because they are a public safety risk.” She said nearly half of girls reported prolonged sadness, 13% of boys had seriously considered suicide, and 9% of youth had a substance-use disorder. The assessment showed gaps in community-based care: two-thirds of young people who had a major depressive episode…