Health Coaches: An Innovative and Effective Approach for Identifying and Addressing the Health Needs of Justice Involved Youth

Dembo R, DiClemente RJ, Brown

Abstract

We present the background, formulation, and implementation of an innovative health service at the front end of the juvenile justice system serving the serious, growing public health needs of justice involved youth-who bear a high burden of STD/HIV and other health problems. Involving multi-agency collaboration, the Health Coach Service seeks to address the youth health needs through health risk assessment and biological testing-with indicated followup testing, prevention, and neighborhood based treatment services. Through continuous monitoring of the Health Coach Service, we will be equipped to assess its feasibility, efficacy, and its real-world effectiveness and utility as a health-risk detection, prevention, and treatment paradigm.