Assessing Mental Health Problems Among Serious Delinquents Committed to the California Youth Authority, 1997-1999

This study was conducted to explore the usefulness of the instruments used in the California Youth Authority's (CYA) Treatment Needs Assessment (TNA) battery. A total of 836 wards who completed screening questionnaires were followed to determine whether they were subsequently placed in mental health programs, were prescribed medications used to treat serious mental health problems, and/or were identified by staff as requiring these services. Data for this study were collected from hard-copy files maintained in CYA ward institutions and the CYA central office. Specific variables include the scale scores of the four instruments used in the TNA, demographic variables of the ward, treatment received by the ward, and ward behavior.