Improving Rehabilitative Efforts for Juvenile Offenders Through the Use of Telemental Healthcare

Abstract

The use of videoconferencing technology in the provision of mental health services is expected to increase rapidly over the next several years. Given the high rates of juvenile offenders in need of such services and the new norms of communication among young people in general, technology-based service modalities are a promising approach for increasing the availability and intensity of services, as well as engagement and compliance with treatment recommendations. This article will discuss the current state of the juvenile justice system, the literature on the use of telemental healthcare (TMH) with delinquent youth, how TMH fits within the generally accepted model of correctional rehabilitation, and special considerations for applying TMH to this population and setting. Although there is no evidence to suggest negative outcomes associated with TMH, future research is greatly needed to justify its use.