Room 1: Recognizing and Advocating for Neurodivergent Youth

This presentation will inform new and experienced juvenile justice practitioners about identifying and zealously advocating for neurodivergent youth.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how neurodivergence, particularly when undiagnosed, can negatively impact youth within juvenile justice (and dependency) systems. The presenters will interactively collaborate with participants to develop concrete suggestions for mitigating those negative impacts. By the end of this roundtable session, participants will have gained insight into the following questions:

• What are the signs that indicate a neurodivergence may be present, even if previously undiagnosed?
• My client has had multiple prior encounters with juvenile justice ‘service providers’ and interventions, but still reoffends; why might that be, and what options can I advocate for?
• What would be the key qualities of appropriate, effective future interventions for my client?

Presenters Andrew Bouvier-Brown and Jennifer Lewis of Children’s Law Center of California have decades of experience working with neurodivergent youth and advocating in child welfare courts.