NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the Office of Youth and Families announced the cities investment in mental heath initiatives for families impacted by the justice system.
A new partnership with the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans and Ubuntu Village was introduced by the OYF “to address the root causes of our public safety challenges through holistic, whole-family initiatives.”
The city says the strategies were identified as solutions by the 2021 Youth Master Plan.
“We are taking a holistic approach to address public safety in our city, and my team has been very focused on supporting organizations that continue to prioritize the mental health of families impacted by the justice system,” said Mayor Cantrell. “Meeting our people where they are remains a top priority for my administration.”
Through research done before the pandemic, about 70% of justice-involved youth had a diagnosable mental health disorders such as:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders
- Behavior problems
- Anxiety disorders
- Depressive/mood disorders
- Trauma-related diagnoses like posttraumatic stress disorders
The Children’s Bureau of New Orleans will provide mental health clinicians to provide trauma-informed care for youth in the justice system and evidence-based trauma treatment to youth who are court-involved.
“We will continue to deliver evidence-based trauma treatment to youth who are court-involved. But we will be working to figure out how to embed these services in existing programs — making these services part of the programming will increase access and allow us to deliver much-needed services to our court-involved youth,” said Judge Calvin Johnson, Esq., Children’s Bureau Board Member.
Additionally the Ubuntu Village will organize the Parent Leaders Educate for Action program that will work with families of the youth in the justice system. Parents and caregivers will meet monthly to receive peer-to-peer support, educational resources and leadership development.