The New York State Division for Youth does not use the arts or art therapy extensively within its own institutions, though it does provide considerable resources to county and municipal youth bureaus for community arts programs. In my time as Director of the Division, I plan to review the criteria used in allocating local assistance funds and to find ways that our own rehabilitation facilities can share in these community arts resources.

The Division is the state agency with the ultimate responsibility for care of juvenile delinquents and persons in need of supervision (PINS). It can house as many as 2,000 youths in state facilities. The juvenile justice system is presently questioning the age of adult criminal responsibility, the host of overlapping child-care agencies and the PINS statute; we are also exploring the possibility of working with children within their own communities and families. This self-evaluation may eventually change the Division's responsibilities but, whatever happens, we will always be responsible for providing a healthy, supportive environment, and all possible services, to each youngster who comes into contact with our system.

The arts can help provide these necessary services without professing to offer any therapeutic panacea. The performing arts and workshops, which solicit honest and constructive responses from the children, can help them share their feelings - often-times rage. Ambitious workshops that use video, mime, nonverbal exercises, or improvisation may provide a youngster with the first opportunity to express self-worth, and perhaps just as importantly, self-doubt. (p. 42-44)