Consultation
JUVENILE CORRECTIONS
JUVENILE CORRECTIONS
Correctional environments pose unique challenges, including stringent security regulations, overcrowding, and numerous legal and public health considerations involved in delivering care to incarcerated populations.
Juvenile detention facilities function within a particularly regulated and complex environment, which is necessary given that children and youth reside there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There is growing demand for behavioral health consultation within juvenile detention settings, a likely response to the overrepresentation of youth in the juvenile justice system affected by mental health and substance use disorders (SUD).
Estimates at some juvenile justice contact points indicate up to 70% of youth have a diagnosable mental health condition.[1] This, on top of the significant racial disparities present in every stage of the system, highlights the urgent need for culturally humble and responsive behavioral health interventions tailored to our youth.
[1] Vincent, G. M., Thomas Grisso, Anna Terry, and Steven M. Banks. 2008. “Sex and Race Differences in Mental Health Symptoms in Juvenile Justice: The MAYSI-2 National Meta-Analysis.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 47(3):282–90.
We believe in evidence-based practices and examination of evidence production, specifically how ways of knowing from communities, especially the youth and families interacting with the systems, can inform relevant and effective behavioral health service delivery.
Services May Include
- Staff coaching and capacity building
- Program design, implementation, and restructuring
- Curriculum development
- Small group workshops
- Areas of expertise: CalAim consulting, BSCC Core training (behavioral health), MOU development, onboarding and training for specialty behavioral health providers + psychologist evaluators, and case plan design.
Over a decade of clinical and administrative expertise in juvenile justice
Dr. Gerchow is a licensed psychologist (PSY 29762) and Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP) by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. She spent nearly a decade delivering direct clinical services in a maximum-security juvenile hall in Contra Costa County before serving as Alameda County’s Director of Juvenile Justice Health Services.
In Alameda County, Dr. Gerchow oversaw Title 15 health services compliance, administered the institution’s medical services contract, and managed various Memoranda of Understanding between the county’s Health Care Services Agency (HCSA) and contractors.
Dr. Gerchow is an expert in behavioral health interventions offered in juvenile justice settings, authoring an evaluation of two of the most utilized evidence-based practice curriculums, Aggression Replacement Training (ART) and Thinking for Change (T4C). She has delivered trainings for the Coalition on Juvenile Justice (CJJ, 2019 and 2020) and the International Association for Chiefs of Police (IACP, 2021) and presented about cognitive behavioral therapy in corrections settings at The Wright Institute’s Healing Justice Conference and Leadership Contra Costa’s “Price of Justice” convening. Dr. Gerchow also keynoted UC Berkeley’s School Psychology Conference in a presentation about how schools can support students returning from juvenile justice facilities. She recently co-presented with Dr. Maisha Scott on gender and culturally responsive services as part of the CARE: Crisis and Recovery Enhancement Partnership in Practice Learning Collaborative.
Dr. Gerchow has served on Contra Costa County’s Racial Justice Task Force and Alameda County’s Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, Senate Bill 823 Subcommittee, and Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission. As a juvenile justice clinician-turned-administrator, Dr. Gerchow is aware of the administrative interworking of juvenile justice system service delivery, thus ensuring her consultation and technical support services are valid, reliable, and actionable.
We believe the path to reforming juvenile justice is paved with humility, compassion, and steadfast belief in the potential of our youth.
In response to her longstanding commitment to law enforcement and corrections staff, Dr. Gerchow earned a certificate in First Responder Psychology from the Wright Institute. Her specialization focused on police and correctional officers, encompassing coursework in Operations, Consultation, Assessment, and Treatment.
TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Gerchow is one of the most exceptional professionals I have ever encountered. Her empathy and strong leadership skills set her apart. She is not only a creative thinker but also a critical problem solver. Dr. Gerchow excels in delivering personalized, patient-centered care, consistently putting the needs of others first. She is a true role model in every sense.
Psychiatrist, Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center
Dr. Gerchow has a unique ability to effectively engage and support youth as they pursue their goals. She was a tremendous asset to our clinical team, and had a transformative impact on the culture of the entire juvenile probation department. Not surprisingly, her influence continues far beyond the walls of Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall.
Former Program Manager, Contra Costa County Mental Health and Probation Services
