1/10/2024 0 Comments Youth study centerIn addition, the state operates two secure residential facilities, and contracts with twenty-one private facilities, primarily for longer term treatment and removal from the community. These centers detain young people who are considered a risk to public safety or to themselves, have a history of not showing for court hearings, are awaiting a court hearing, were given a sanction for violation of a court order, or are awaiting placement in a residential facility. There are twenty-five juvenile detention facilities in Michigan operated by counties or courts for local youth, or youth from other counties through reciprocity agreements. A 2014 study by the University of Michigan Child and Adolescent Data Lab found that "75% of juvenile detainees (in Michigan) met the diagnostic threshold for at least one mental health disorder," with 33% reporting a major depressive episode, and 10% meeting the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. Many juvenile facilities have canceled in-person family visitation due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, which may exacerbate mental health disorders that are common in the youth justice system. Youth with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or another chronic or serious illness that put them at a higher risk for contracting the virus are particularly vulnerable. Youth and facility staff in confined settings face challenges in keeping themselves safe by engaging in the proactive measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such as social distancing, frequently washing hands, or staying in sanitized spaces, while still being able to participate in daily activities that require movement within the facilities (mealtimes, educational programming, etc.). Young people are housed closely together in pods, units or dormitory-style housing, precisely the kind of conditions that have raised concerns about nursing homes and prisons, and led to the closure of universities all over the country. Congregate living facilities are inherently high-risk environments for viral spread, and three juvenile facilities have already reported confirmed COVID-19 cases.
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