The Juvenile Mental Health Court (JMHC) is a specialized court room within the Los Angeles County juvenile delinquency system which serves youth with developmental delays and/or significant mental health needs. It is one of dozens that are spread across the United States. Each JMHC has a slightly different focus, but all are designed to prioritize rehabilitation and treatment via community-based services rather than detention.
One of my favorite professors in college, Shoshannah Stern, is a famous Deaf actress and an incredible teacher (See: Weeds, The Hammer, Jericho). She asked us one day to consider what our reactions would be if we gave birth to a child one day who could only speak French. Well, I can only speak English. And we’re not in France, we’re in America. Would my first reaction be to learn French? Well, maybe a few key terms, but my focus would really be on trying to teach my kid English. Try to assimilate them into the culture and country in which they live. Having a deaf child is no different. That child is automatically born into a culture different than the parent, and that doesn’t happen to other families unless in very special circumstances…
In 1975, congress passed what is now commonly referred to as IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). This act ensured that every child – no matter of ability or disability – is entitled to a free appropriate public education. In 1984, in response to major concerns that mental health services were not being adequately provided to students who needed such services in order to benefit from their education, California passed Assembly Bill 3632, which required counties to provide these services. From 1984 through 2010, the county departments of mental health were in charge of completing mental health assessments, recommendations, and case management for students. These services were coordinated with the students’ individualized education program (IEP).
