TRENTON - The Juvenile Justice Commission
(JJC)
is now providing 'in-house' medical care
to approximately 650 youth in its secure
facilities, and has arranged, by contract,
for the University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey to provide youth with mental
health services. The changes are part
of an ongoing effort to streamline and
enhance the delivery of healthcare services
throughout the JJC system.
The JJC began delivering medical services
“in-house” to the approximately
650 youth in secure facilities on January
1, 2005. Also beginning with start of
the new year, the University of Medicine
and Dentistry began serving youth with
mental health issues.
Previously, the JJC’s medical needs
were covered under a contract between
the Department of Corrections and a medical
services provider. With the medical services
contract set to expire, the JJC took the
opportunity to rethink the quality of
healthcare for the young people in its
care.
“As
the Juvenile Justice Commission focuses
on rehabilitating youth and returning
them to society as productive citizens,
we must continue to recognize and address
their special needs. The New Jersey Juvenile
Justice Commission aims to respond to
the needs of the whole child - physical,
emotional and behavioral,” said
Howard L. Beyer, Executive Director Juvenile
Justice Commission. “The medical
services will be cost effective, responsive,
and inasmuch as the residents are adolescent,
the care will also be preventative and
include education. Adolescence is a developmental
stage and learning how to care of yourself
is part of it. Youth need to be both treated
and taught about what is medically important
if we are to expect them to return to
society and live productive lives.”
The
JJC’s new Healthcare Administrator,
Harold Brown of Atco, and the JJC administration
have spent the last few months setting
up the new unit. Brown holds an MBA from
Rutgers University in Healthcare Administration
and Finance. His BA is from the University
of Pittsburgh, where he majored in economics
and minored in chemistry. He is also active
in the community, having served as a mentor
and tutor and was named as a Community
Foundation/Whitehead Fund Fellow. Most
recently he was employed by the Greenbriar
Healthcare Center as Assistant Administrator
and served as the chair of its Infection
Control, Quality Improvement and Safety
Committee.
“As
the Healthcare Administrator for the Juvenile
Justice Commission, I am excited about
this opportunity to participate in the
creation of a better healthcare system
for our youth, “ said Brown. “I
am looking forward to playing my part
in such a collaborative focus aimed at
increasing the quality of healthcare services
which meet residents at the level of their
unique and individual needs. My goal is
to structure a comprehensive and fluid
health service model that provides quality,
appropriate and timely healthcare services.”
The JJC has hired approximately 35 new
employees including physicians, nurses
and support staff to ensure that youth
receive suitable medical attention. The
medical staff are assigned to the five
secure care facilities: New Jersey Training
School in Monroe Township, the Life Skills
and Leadership Academy located in Tabernacle,
and Juvenile Medium Secure Facility, Juvenile
Reception and Assessment Center, and the
Female Secure Care and Intake Facility
located on the JJC’s campus in Bordentown.
The doctors and nurses will address all
medical concerns including gender specific
issues.
The JJC has also hired Dr. Mahmooda Raza,
a pediatric specialist. She will be responsible
for coordinating physical health care
for all JJC youth. Dr. Raza resides in
Trenton.
Through a partnership between the JJC
and the University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey (UMDNJ), the JJC is also
providing in-house mental health services
as of January through a contract with
UMDNJ-University Behavioral HealthCare.
“Nearly,
two thirds of the juveniles committed
to the JJC are diagnosed with at least
one mental health problem including anxiety
disorder, post traumatic stress syndrome,
depression, and substance abuse dependency,”
said the Executive Director. “We
are thrilled at the JJC to be able to
partner with an organization of such esteem
and professionalism as UMDNJ. Through
our partnership with UMDNJ, we are strengthening
our ability to identify each juvenile’s
needs and address them. It is, simply
put, the right thing to do,” said
Beyer.
Christopher
Kosseff, President and Chief Executive
Officer at UMDNJ’s University Behavioral
HealthCare commented, “UMDNJ is
excited about the partnership with the
Juvenile Justice Commission. We share
a deep concern for the youth of New Jersey
and a belief that, working together, we
can alter the course of some troubled
youth. The investment in high quality
mental health care for incarcerated youth
will have significant benefits. Juveniles,
suffering with mental illness, will get
the treatment they need to live their
lives more appropriately. This will also
help to create safer communities. The
correctional facilities will be safer
also because youth will have their symptoms
more effectively controlled. UMDNJ views
the partnership with the Juvenile Justice
Commission as an important new service
to New Jersey.”
Beyer noted that Kosseff has been named
to an 11-member mental health task force
created by Acting Governor Richard J.
Codey. The task force mission is to study
mental health issues in New Jersey, and
to identify and implement strategies for
helping the mentally ill lead better lives.
Under an executive order signed by the
Acting Governor, the task force will hold
public hearings, convene a statewide Mental
Health Summit, and form advisory committees
to help it identify and address areas
of need. The task force recently held
its inaugural meeting at the JJC’s
Female Secure Care and Intake Facility.
“We are changing the way medical
services have been delivered because we
know we can do a better job when the medical
staff are the employees of the Commission
and are sensitive to youth,” concluded
Beyer.
In order to deliver full service healthcare,
the JJC is contracting for service for
those needs that cannot be met on site.
St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton
will provide hospitalization. Correctional
Dental Associates was recently awarded
a three year contract. JJC secure facilities
are already equipped with dentistry instruments.
These services will be provided on-site.
For more information visit: njjjc.com.
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