State Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park, has been appointed to serve on the statewide Mental Health Opportunities for Youth Diversion Task Force.
“As the Chair of the House Mental Health Committee, I am committed to ensuring that mental healthcare in Illinois is treated with the same level of urgency and importance as every other form of healthcare,” said Conroy. “Unfortunately, many youth with mental illness don’t get the treatment they need when they need it and they end up in the juvenile justice system.”
Through cross collaboration among government entities and community partners, this all-volunteer task force studies best practices to prevent juveniles with mental health needs from being unnecessarily detained in the juvenile justice system and ensure access to the appropriate healthcare needs.
“It is estimated that up to 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have some form of mental illness,” Conroy added. “We can find cost-effective ways to get these kids into mental health programs and community-based programs that address their health issues while ensuring public safety is protected. We really need to look at this issue with a holistic approach to give these kids a chance to manage their health issues and live healthy, productive, crime-free lives.”
