MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The high-profile murder cases in recent days are again raising awareness of the issue of mental health services and trauma at a young age.
Records show the man accused of killing Eliza Fletcher, Cleotha Henderson, and the man accused of a citywide shooting rampage last week, Ezekiel Kelly, with convictions of violent crimes as juveniles.
Local mental health specialists working to help young children before it's too late want to change that, but concede more resources are needed.
"We don't need to wait until a crime hits, we need to wait when we are seeing a problem," Mental health specialist Brandy Flynn said Monday.
Flynn knows firsthand when there's a positive breakthrough during previous sessions with Shelby County juvenile defendants assigned to her care and counseling.
"They really wanted to be helped and they finally found someone that was willing to help them the way that they needed to be helped," Flynn added.
Flynn said often times, young children who witness crimes at home and in their neighborhood are more at risk of violent tendencies later on if they don't get proper counseling or guidance.
"Their feelings are really balled up feelings and they have some form of release and if they don't have the release they can act out the things that they have witnessed, the things they have seen and it can cause a snowball effect in the community," Flynn said.
That's why Flynn supports the Shelby County Juvenile Court adding more counseling options with outside specialists, schools and community centers.
"We need to have these services on an everyday basis so it doesn't get to that point or that point is lessened," Flynn said.
The issue is also a priority for Cardell Orrin and Natalie McKinney, members of the Juvenile Court Judge Task Force. The group is coming up with new ideas on how to properly rehabilitate and punish young people in an upcoming report.
"When they come back into our system that we need to create support at every step of the process to make sure that they are getting the best opportunity the most opportunity to change and make different choices," Orrin said.
Earlier this year, Shelby County Commissioners also approved new funding to expand the youth counselor precinct liaison program. It allows juvenile probation officers to directly assist and mentor juveniles charged.