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Appendix D: Protection & Juvenile Justice

Children’s Environmental Health Post-Disaster Assessment Toolkit 2.0
 

Children in protection and juvenile justice programs may have limited ability to advocate for themselves or relocate. The programs may experience environmental health hazards like poor air or water quality, mold, overcrowding, or utility disruptions that threaten the safety and well-being of children in their care.

Types & Definitions

  • Child Protective Services (CPS) is a government-run program responsible for responding to reports of child abuse and neglect. CPS assesses child safety, supports families through services and case management, and may remove children from dangerous situations to ensure their well-being and protection.

  • Foster care is a temporary out-of-home placement system for children who cannot safely live with their biological families due to abuse, neglect, or other challenges. Children in foster care live with trained and licensed caregivers while child welfare professionals work toward family reunification or permanent placement.

  • The juvenile justice system encompasses courts, detention centers, probation services, and community-based programs that serve youth involved in criminal or delinquent behavior. It aims to promote accountability and rehabilitation while protecting public safety and supporting positive youth development.

  • Teen and youth shelters provide emergency housing and supportive services for adolescents facing homelessness, family rejection, abuse, or other crises. These shelters often include access to counseling, education, and case management to help stabilize youth and connect them with longer-term care options. 
     

Partners

State, Tribal, Territorial, or Local Partners

  • State, Tribal, Territorial Departments of Health

  • Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Programs 
     

  • Behavioral Health Authorities

  • Local Health Departments 
     

  • Hospital and Healthcare Coalitions 
     

  • State or Local Suicide Prevention Coalitions 
     

Federal Partners 
 

  • Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR)

  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) 
     

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
     

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 
     

  • Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) 
     

  • Indian Health Service (IHS) 
     

  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
     

Non-Governmental Partners

Methods of Engagement

  • Coordinate Through Local and Regional Health Systems: Engage hospital systems, healthcare coalitions, and local health departments as conveners. They can help connect to pediatric units, critical care teams, and specialty providers across facilities.

  • Conduct Focus Groups by Provider Type: Host small, tailored focus groups to surface concerns specific to each health provider type (e.g., pediatric behavioral health vs. maternal & child health programs), allowing for deeper discussion of environmental health impacts on children.

  • Offer One-on-One Listening Sessions: For overburdened or high-priority facilities, offer short, private interviews to gather candid input, especially from providers like crisis intervention programs, rural clinics, or environmental health specialty units.

  • Collaborate with State Title V and MCH Programs: These maternal and child health leaders have statewide oversight and relationships with a range of pediatric services, making them excellent partners in identifying and coordinating engagement with relevant providers.

  • Engage Providers via Pediatric Emergency Preparedness Channels: Many pediatric hospitals and specialty networks participate in emergency preparedness coalitions. Pre-existing relationships can simplify engagement to gather input on environmental health threats post-disaster.

  • Conduct Environmental Walkthroughs or Technical Assessments: Offer voluntary facility walkthroughs (virtually or in-person) to identify environmental health risks such as mold, ventilation issues, or contamination and jointly prioritize recovery actions.

  • Partner with Behavioral Health Agencies and Youth-Serving Systems: Work through youth behavioral health systems, school-linked mental health programs, and substance use treatment centers to ensure their unique environmental concerns (e.g., quiet space, air quality, safety) are included.

Considerations

  • Children in protective custody or shelters may be living in temporary or transitional housing where environmental risks (mold, poor ventilation, toxins) are high but hard to track. Staff in these programs may need support identifying and reporting these issues.

  • Juvenile justice programs are governed by strict safety and custodial rules that may limit outside access to facilities; collaboration must be coordinated through appropriate legal and administrative channels.

  • Providers may be hesitant to engage if they perceive environmental assessments as regulatory oversight. Trust-building and clear, non-punitive framing will be critical. 
     

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