Screening for youth behavioral (mental) health and trauma-based symptoms is widely recognized as best practice for juvenile justice settings to identify youth, especially at intake, who may need immediate attention for serious mental health problems.
NYSAP partners and associates have 25 years of experience assisting juvenile justice agencies with policies and implementation of behavioral health and trauma symptom screening in a variety of settings:
Diversion
Pre-Trial Detention
Probation Intake
Secure and Non-Secure Residential Facilities
Whether your agency is interested in adopting these tools or wishes to improve its existing practices, NYSAP offers consultation and training in the selection and proper use of behavioral health and trauma screening tools, including the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2).
NYSAP researchers developed the MAYSI-2, one of the most widely used mental health screening tools in juvenile justice settings. Contact the MAYSI-2 Helpdesk at UMass Chan Medical School for more information.
Consultation Services
We customize our consultation service package based on your agency’s needs. We have a particular emphasis on screening and assessment methods that (a) are practical for your situation and type of juvenile justice setting and (b) meet scientific standards for best practice. We also assist in their proper implementation so that you can use them effectively to improve youth and agency outcomes. We offer the following:
Instrument Selection: Selection of the most appropriate screening tool to fit your agency’s needs, capacities, and resources.
Presentations to Collaborators: Liaison presentations or consultation to collaborators (e.g., judges, attorneys, staff) to enhance buy-in and effective operations.
Logistics: Assurance that the process of behavioral health screening is logical for meeting your goals and providing sound results.
Policies and Procedures Development: Development of formal agency Policies and Procedures for the implementation of the screening method.
Training: See below our training options for those who will administer or use the results of behavioral health screening.
Mapping Community Assets: Identify resources to address youth behavioral health needs and facilitate targeted referrals in your community. Learn more about Critical Intervention Mapping.
Continuous Quality Improvement: Assistance in developing ways to manage the agency’s screening performance across time to assure sustained quality and effectiveness.
Training Services
NYSAP offers training on behavioral health and trauma screening, whether in diversion programs, detention, probation, or residential placement settings. Training may be tailored to staff who are administering behavioral health screening or more broadly to staff who will be using the results of such screening.
-
MAYSI-2 Training
2.5 Hours | In-Person or Virtual
A customized training on youths behavioral health needs and administration of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Second Version (MAYSI-2). -
Training for Other Professionals
1.5 Hours | In-Person or Virtual
An orientation training for stakeholders and personnel in the juvenile justice system who may not be administering behavioral health screening tools but who will be making decisions based on them such as child-mental-health providers, lawyers, and judges -
Trauma-Related Screening
0.5 Day | In-Person or Virtual
NYSAP provides training on the administration and use of several validated screening tools designed to identify youth who have been exposed to significant trauma and may have serious trauma-related problems. These instruments include the Child Trauma Screen (CTS) and the Structured Trauma-related Experiences and Symptoms Screen (STRESS).
Resources about Behavioral Health Screening
Meet Our Behavioral Health Team
