Crossover youth are a particularly vulnerable population given their dual interaction with the child welfare and youth justice systems. This necessitates various pathways to care across a multitude of care settings resulting in the need to understand their clinical needs to better support crossover youth and the systems that are utilized. The aim of this study was to determine mental health and wellbeing differences between crossover youth and other clinically referred. Participants included youth aged 12-18 who were assessed by trained professionals using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) assessment between October 2012 and June 2022. Assessment data was obtained from 65 mental health agencies across the Province of Ontario, Canada. 373 crossover and comparison youth were matched for analysis. A range of clinically relevant differences between the matched pairs were analyzed using chi-square tests. Compared to clinically referred counterparts, crossover youth experienced higher levels of interpersonal trauma (sexual abuse 27.1% vs 15.6%, physical abuse 57.9% vs 29.5%, emotional abuse 63.3% vs 29.5% and polyvictimization (62.2% vs 35.4%). These youth also exhibited more relational difficulties (absence of supportive relationships with family 44.2% vs 25.7% or with friends/peers 57.9% vs 41.7%), externalizing behaviour problems (51.2% vs 25.5%), and substance use (tobacco 34.9% vs 12.1%, cannabis 47.4% vs 20.6%). The findings contribute to the growing understanding of the unique needs faced by crossover youth. Clinical and policy implications are discussed to better support children involved in these systems. • Crossover youth are involved in both the child protection and youth justice systems • Crossover youth have more complex histories that often involve maltreatment • Crossover youth demonstrated a higher prevalence residential instability and low SES • Crossover youth engaged in more substance use than clinically referred youth • Crossover youth have various needs which result in higher projected service utilization/intensity • Academic, social and attachment difficulties are common among crossover youth
Stewart et al. (Sun,) studied this question.