PolicyLab

In the United States, an estimated 88,000 youth are released from juvenile detention facilities each year. Youth exiting the juvenile detention system suffer from high rates of health risk behaviors and a disproportionate share of morbidity and mortality. These youth often lack access to the health care system, and their incarceration is their only contact with a physician outside of any emergency setting. The time of their release provides a critical opportunity for connecting these youth with the medical system to establish a medical home. During their reemergence into the community, these youth need as much support as possible, and physicians can play an important role.