Building Partnerships

Juvenile detention centers are short-term, secure facilities designed to hold young people awaiting disposition of their cases. Many of these youth grow up in neighborhoods that are served by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), natural partners for juvenile detention centers. FQHCs are governed by community boards that are representative of the neighborhoods they serve; thus, they have strong ties to their communities. In addition, FQHCs receive enhanced payment rates from Medicaid and represent a largely untapped resource that can be leveraged to provide health care to juveniles.

Interagency collaboration is key to establishing the framework for continuity of care in the community. By engaging the services of FQHCs, jurisdictions can create opportunities for youth to connect to neighborhood caregivers and establish a medical home. It is important to remember that these partnerships and the solutions they create are uniquely local.