By Susan Gregg, University of Washington Medicine, September 30, 2021

A program to tackle youth incarceration by promoting paths to opportunity for young people, especially among youth of color, is being formed by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The program, Allies in Healthier Systems for Health & Abundance in Youth (AHSHAY), will be directed by Dr. Benjamin Danielson, a clinical professor of pediatrics at UW Medicine, and a community leader in health equity. A foundational grant to establish the program was made by the Bezos Family Foundation. The program is in the process of becoming a center.

“There is no doubt that incarcerating young people is deeply harmful to their mental health, to their future, and ultimately to all of us,” said Dr. Jürgen Unützer, chair of the psychiatry department. “We are really looking forward to working with Dr. Danielson whose work aligns well with our department’s longstanding commitment to address serious health disparities in our community and to develop safe and meaningful alternatives to youth incarceration.”

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