DPA 2025 Annual Conference

You’ve heard about the School-to-Prison pipeline: disproportionately Black and Brown youth are funneled out of schools and into the juvenile legal system because racism and biases about behavior lead to suspensions, increasing the risk of juvenile system contact. But there is another, less visible School-to-Prison pipeline: untreated ADHD symptoms are interpreted as behavioral problems that lead to suspensions, also increasing the risk of juvenile system contact. The compound effects of these pipelines mean that Black children with ADHD are more likely to be caught in the School-to-Prison pipeline. This presentation covers a primer on ADHD, racial disparities in ADHD diagnosis and treatment, and tips for practitioners in working more effectively with child and adult clients with ADHD, many of whom have experienced the harms of the School-to-Prison pipeline.