PTSD Screening, Assessment and Treatment in Juvenile Justice Programs

An overview for administrators, supervisors, and clinicians working in the juvenile justice system of the prevalence and impact on youth in the system of their often extensive past exposure to traumatic stressors, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and a wide range of other trauma-related emotional and behavioral problems. Evidence-based methods and instruments for screening and assessment of youths’ trauma histories and traumatic stress difficulties will be described, with discussion of the potential barriers and precautions to safely conducting screening and assessment. Evidence-based interventions for youths’ traumatic stress problems also will be described, with a detailed presentation of an intervention that does not require trauma memory processing and has been shown to be effective with justice-involved youth in secure placements and in community court-ordered programs, the TARGET model.