Rural Youth Services Enhanced (RYSE)

Five Illinois counties, Alexander, Hardin, Pulaski, Gallatin and Saline; face a fundamental lack of mental health services for justice-involved youth; often having to take juveniles out of the home county for services. If the juveniles are in need of anything greater than outpatient treatment, these youth are sent outside of their home county and sent up to central Illinois, many miles away. Lack of social services coupled with the lack of public transportation, can make it very difficult for juveniles to access resources to avoid entering the Juvenile Justice system in the first place or to succeed while in the system.