strongernow
06-16-2004, 01:16 PM
Under federal threat, state works to upgrade system
Progress, but signs of backsliding
By JANE O. HANSEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/13/04
The memo, written just six years ago, read like a scene from a Charles Dickens novel: Children were shackled to toilets, stripped naked in isolation cells, dressed in demeaning paper gowns, hit, restrained and sprayed with chemicals.
Not all children were so mistreated. But the abuse of Georgia's imprisoned children had gotten so bad by 1998 that the U.S. Justice Department threatened to take over the state's eight youth prisons and 22 youth jails.
After a yearlong investigation, the department issued a scathing report demanding an end to "egregious conditions" that it said violated children's constitutional rights. Topping the list was the state's "failure to provide mental health care" to the 61 percent of youngsters then locked behind bars with psychiatric disorders.
"Mentally ill youths have degenerated in the state's care," the report said.
Since then, the state Department of Juvenile Justice has made significant progress, a federal monitor now reports. But recently there have been signs of backsliding. Among them: new overcrowding at the state's youth jails and prisons, the abrupt firing of the agency's head of mental health services, and the temporary closing of the Augusta youth prison, site of the state's largest mental health unit for delinquent boys.
"Augusta needs to be reopened as soon as possible," said Dr. James Austin, hired in 1998 by the U.S. Justice Department to monitor the state's progress.
Six years ago, the state offered no mental health care to most incarcerated kids. Mentally ill children were punished, not treated. "They are often restrained, hit, shackled, put in restraint chairs for hours and sprayed" by security staff who were untrained in handling people with mental illnesses, federal investigators found.
To stave off a threatened federal lawsuit, Georgia poured money into building a mental health system inside the youth facilities.
In 1999, the governor appointed a new commissioner, Orlando Martinez, known nationally for his innovative ideas in juvenile justice. Under Martinez, the Department of Juvenile Justice hired a director over all mental health services, began assessing all youths for possible mental disorders, hired qualified staff to treat them, and set up sophisticated technology to keep a closer watch on suicidal children.
Today Georgia has satisfied all but 10 of the original 117 citations, according to Austin's final report, issued in February. "They've gotten a lot better than what they were," said Austin, a research sociologist at George Washington University. "I'd say the vast majority of facilities are in compliance with the mental health requirements."
He said the biggest problem remains the department's inability to recruit and retain staff qualified to treat mental disorders. "They're just not able to pay people competitive salaries to attract competent people," Austin said.
Recent upheaval also could slow the department's progress. Martinez was fired in August by recently elected Gov. Sonny Perdue. His successor, Albert Murray, then fired Frank Berry, chief of mental health services. In February, Murray suddenly closed the troubled Augusta youth prison over a contract dispute. Without notice, more than 60 youths suddenly were packed up with their belongings and put on buses to an unfamiliar youth jail in Atlanta.
"They're making the best of a bad situation," Austin said of the temporary setup. "But they still aren't providing the services those kids need."
In the meantime, Murray formed a task force to decide what to do with the Augusta prison.
"That's like the fire department saying, 'I think we should do a fire safety study before we connect the hoses,' " complained Don Keenan, a lawyer and child advocate.
He and others said Murray needs to move more quickly.
In a recent interview, Murray indicated he would.
"I absolutely plan to reopen Augusta before the end of the year," Murray said. "The sooner the better."
Deputy Commissioner Thomas Coleman later said the department would reopen the Augusta facility in August, making it the state's main prison for kids with mental health disorders.
Like his predecessor, Murray said Georgia needs more mental health treatment programs to prevent youths from ever getting to his facilities.
"It would be my hope that kids wouldn't have to be put in the custody of Juvenile Justice just to access mental health services," Murray said.
Any institution that smacks of prison is the wrong place to treat children whose behavior stems from a mental disorder, Keenan said. And the state's juvenile facilities "are prisons," he added.
"They're a life sentence," he said. "So when the child looks in the mirror when he's 70 or 80 years old, he knows that he began life as a criminal. Behind bars. In handcuffs."
Progress, but signs of backsliding
By JANE O. HANSEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/13/04
The memo, written just six years ago, read like a scene from a Charles Dickens novel: Children were shackled to toilets, stripped naked in isolation cells, dressed in demeaning paper gowns, hit, restrained and sprayed with chemicals.
Not all children were so mistreated. But the abuse of Georgia's imprisoned children had gotten so bad by 1998 that the U.S. Justice Department threatened to take over the state's eight youth prisons and 22 youth jails.
After a yearlong investigation, the department issued a scathing report demanding an end to "egregious conditions" that it said violated children's constitutional rights. Topping the list was the state's "failure to provide mental health care" to the 61 percent of youngsters then locked behind bars with psychiatric disorders.
"Mentally ill youths have degenerated in the state's care," the report said.
Since then, the state Department of Juvenile Justice has made significant progress, a federal monitor now reports. But recently there have been signs of backsliding. Among them: new overcrowding at the state's youth jails and prisons, the abrupt firing of the agency's head of mental health services, and the temporary closing of the Augusta youth prison, site of the state's largest mental health unit for delinquent boys.
"Augusta needs to be reopened as soon as possible," said Dr. James Austin, hired in 1998 by the U.S. Justice Department to monitor the state's progress.
Six years ago, the state offered no mental health care to most incarcerated kids. Mentally ill children were punished, not treated. "They are often restrained, hit, shackled, put in restraint chairs for hours and sprayed" by security staff who were untrained in handling people with mental illnesses, federal investigators found.
To stave off a threatened federal lawsuit, Georgia poured money into building a mental health system inside the youth facilities.
In 1999, the governor appointed a new commissioner, Orlando Martinez, known nationally for his innovative ideas in juvenile justice. Under Martinez, the Department of Juvenile Justice hired a director over all mental health services, began assessing all youths for possible mental disorders, hired qualified staff to treat them, and set up sophisticated technology to keep a closer watch on suicidal children.
Today Georgia has satisfied all but 10 of the original 117 citations, according to Austin's final report, issued in February. "They've gotten a lot better than what they were," said Austin, a research sociologist at George Washington University. "I'd say the vast majority of facilities are in compliance with the mental health requirements."
He said the biggest problem remains the department's inability to recruit and retain staff qualified to treat mental disorders. "They're just not able to pay people competitive salaries to attract competent people," Austin said.
Recent upheaval also could slow the department's progress. Martinez was fired in August by recently elected Gov. Sonny Perdue. His successor, Albert Murray, then fired Frank Berry, chief of mental health services. In February, Murray suddenly closed the troubled Augusta youth prison over a contract dispute. Without notice, more than 60 youths suddenly were packed up with their belongings and put on buses to an unfamiliar youth jail in Atlanta.
"They're making the best of a bad situation," Austin said of the temporary setup. "But they still aren't providing the services those kids need."
In the meantime, Murray formed a task force to decide what to do with the Augusta prison.
"That's like the fire department saying, 'I think we should do a fire safety study before we connect the hoses,' " complained Don Keenan, a lawyer and child advocate.
He and others said Murray needs to move more quickly.
In a recent interview, Murray indicated he would.
"I absolutely plan to reopen Augusta before the end of the year," Murray said. "The sooner the better."
Deputy Commissioner Thomas Coleman later said the department would reopen the Augusta facility in August, making it the state's main prison for kids with mental health disorders.
Like his predecessor, Murray said Georgia needs more mental health treatment programs to prevent youths from ever getting to his facilities.
"It would be my hope that kids wouldn't have to be put in the custody of Juvenile Justice just to access mental health services," Murray said.
Any institution that smacks of prison is the wrong place to treat children whose behavior stems from a mental disorder, Keenan said. And the state's juvenile facilities "are prisons," he added.
"They're a life sentence," he said. "So when the child looks in the mirror when he's 70 or 80 years old, he knows that he began life as a criminal. Behind bars. In handcuffs."