| The Overlap of Young Offender, Child Welfare and Mental Health Caseloads |
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Psychiatrist Naomi Rae-Grant often stated that
the services children received depended more on the system they used
than on their needs. This is germane when one considers that many have
noted caseload overlaps among the mental health, child welfare, and
young offender populations. This study examined this issue from the
Young Offender system perspective.
Records of the first 2539 individuals charged under the 1984 Young Offenders Act in Alberta were matched with records of the Provincial Community Mental Health and Child Welfare Systems. 47% of young offenders had previously been assigned child welfare status, while 18% had been on the mental health caseload. Offenders showing comorbidity were more likely to have been involved in crimes against persons. Although Aboriginal Albertans were significantly over-represented in the Young Offender sample, the proportion was about ½ of that found in the general Child Welfare caseload. In summary, clearly the overlap is high enough to make a difference in planning services, but the differences are large enough to warrant separate attention as well.  |
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Source:
Thompson AH (1988). Young Offender, Child Welfare, and Mental Health
caseload communalities. Canadian Journal |
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