Mentally ill US children in detention centres - the horror

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thousands of mentally ill American children, some as young as seven, are locked up in juvenile detention centres because there is nowhere else for them to go, a congressional report has found.

The report on Wednesday painted a disturbing picture of children with mental illness and/or substance abuse warehoused in jail-like conditions where their mental health often deteriorates.

More than 160 of the 524 centres surveyed reported suicide attempts by youths held unnecessarily.

"The last place some of these kids need to be is in detention," the study quoted a Tennessee juvenile centre administrator as saying. "Those with depression are locked up alone to contemplate suicide. I guess you get the picture."

The House-Senate bipartisan report was initiated by Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins and California Democrat Representative Henry Waxman. It was the subject of a hearing on Wednesday by the Senate Committee on Government Affairs, which Collins chairs.

Many families struggle to afford mental health care. Health insurers often provide little or no mental health coverage, or pay so little doctors don't want to take part in the health plans. Community clinics are stretched and cannot meet demand.

The study found that 33 states hold youths who have no charges against them of any kind in juvenile detention centres. On any given day, about 2,000 such young people are incarcerated, and over six months, the number is 15,000.

"Too often (children) are simply left to languish in juvenile detention centres which are ill-equipped to meet their needs while they wait for scarce mental health services," Collins added.

GAPS IN COVERAGE AND CARE

Several lawmakers, including Collins and Waxman, have sponsored various bills that would address gaps in mental health care and insurance coverage but it is far from clear that any will be enacted into law this year.

At the hearing, lawmakers heard from experts from several states who described the lack of resources for troubled youth and the toll it takes on them and their families.

"Surely we would not dream of placing a child with another serious illness, like cancer for example, in a juvenile detention centre to await a hospital bed or community based treatment. It is outrageous that we do this to children with mental illness," said Carol Carothers, who directs the Maine chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Leonard Dixon, who runs a juvenile detention centre in Detroit and is the current president of the National Juvenile Detention Association, said, "I have seen first hand the hopelessness in the faces of youth who are inappropriately placed in secure detention facilities as a means of controlling their behaviour." He quoted a saying of his father: "You cannot cripple a child, and then criticise the way he walks."

The panel also heard about a few bright spots.

In Bernalillo County, New Mexico, for instance, early intervention, better mental health screening and increased coordination between various social service, law enforcement and mental health resources has shown results at the youth detention centre.

Fewer youths are being housed in the centre, they are staying for shorter periods of time, they are less likely to end up in trouble with the law a second time -- and they are costing the county less money, according to Dr. Ken Martinez, a top state official on children's behavioural health.

so much for your 'free' america