Since October 2008 Dr. Turley has been providing psychiatric services to the Department of Youth Services, as an independent consultant contracted by Health Care of Southeastern Massachusetts.   These services involve evaluation and management of mental health challenges of youth committed to the department's residential programs.  Dr. Turley applies an especially conservative model of care to this population, recognizing that residents with conduct problems severe enough necessitate incarceration have often been treated with psychiatric medications, usually unsuccessfully, but they may or may not be mentally ill.  He evaluates and helps clinicians determine whether or not medications should be resumed, continued, added, or changed.  When possible, medication regimens are simplified or stopped so that behavior and symptoms can be observed in a controlled setting for a period of weeks to months.  This should provide solid clinical data to mental health providers who pick up services upon the resident's discharge to the community.  

Parents of committed DYS residents may be asked to complete a Parent Request for Psychiatric Evaluation.