A new Communities of Hope report highlights systemic gaps in Rhode Island’s juvenile justice mental health services, revealing that state‑mandated protections often fall short of meeting adolescents’ needs. Although the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) asserts that young people entering the training school have “unimpeded access” to private healthcare and mandatory screenings—including suicide risk assessments and meetings with social workers—research shows these measures rarely translate to effective, consistent care.

According to the 2023 Kids Count report, ...