Youth Mental Health Diversion at Court: Barriers to Diversion and Impact on Reoffending

Abstract

In a cohort of young people referred to an Australian mental health court diversion service over a 7-year period, 46.5% of those deemed eligible ( n = 523) were granted diversion and the following were identified as barriers to being granted diversion: identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, having substance use problems, prior offending, and no record of prior diversion. Young people granted diversion were significantly less likely to reoffend, even after adjustment for a range of other covariates. This study highlights the need to address barriers to mental health court diversion for young people, particularly in light of the evidence of its effectiveness in reducing risk of reoffending.