HJNO Sep/Oct 2025

DEAN PERALTA, BSN, RN, CPN Clinical Nurse Manager Juvenile Justice Intervention Center KIANA TREGRE, MD, MPH Site Director of the Behavioral and Mental Health Clinic Juvenile Justice Intervention Center HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  SEP / OCT 2025 25 assessment, she was diagnosed with ocu- lar syphilis, which can be life-threatening if untreated. She received the expert care she needed, in addition to follow-up appoint- ments. But the care didn’t stop there. She was also connected to parenting support and resources to help her care for her baby. While the experiences of each youth residing at the Juvenile Justice Interven- tion Center are unique, the significant chal- lenges and unresolved traumas that these children and teens face form a common thread. Ongoing efforts to improve youth outcomes across the city, such as the part- nership betweenManning Family Children’s and the JJIC, are making a difference one child at a time, but data suggest there may be larger-scale progress. In NewOrleans, we are seeing a decrease in violent crime, and more high school stu- dents are graduating on time. “I am hope- ful that the efforts of the JJIC staff and our dedicated medical and mental health team members from Manning Family Children’s will help keep the statistics on an upward trend,” said Tregre. “Seeing kids improve, and find a good, productive path forward is what this is all about, and I see the contin- ued opportunity to make significant prog- ress together.” n REFERENCES 1 “Emotional Wellness and Exposure to Violence Data from New Orleans Youth Age 11-15.” Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://static1.squarespace.com/ static/5679a070c21b86984b62ab2c/t/568ad 499bfe873d47864a70c/1451938969160/EWS- Report-2015.pdf. 2 “Health Disparities in NewOrleans.” NewOrleans Health Department. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://nola.gov/health-department/data- and-publications/reports/health-disparities-in- new-orleans-community-2013/. 3 “CBEM Leading Cause of Death Data Tables. ” October 26, 2022. Judi’s House. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://judis-house.s3.amazonaws . com/reports/2025%20Louisiana%20CBEM%20 Report_Final.pdf 4 Wang, P. S., et al. “Twelve-Month Use of Mental Health Services in the United States: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.” JAMA Psychiatry 62, no. 6: 629–40. https:// jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/ fullarticle/208673. Dean Peralta is a certified pediatric nurse and currently serves as the clinical nurse manager at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center, operated by Manning Family Children’s. In this capacity, he provides leadership and oversight for all nursing and social work services, staffing, budgeting, compliance, and quality improvement initiatives. Peralta works closely with the City of New Orleans and external partners to advance the Center’s mission: to meet the comprehensive treatment needs of youth by delivering educational, medical, mental health, and evidence-based therapeutic programming tailored to each individual. A native of New Orleans, Peralta earned his nursing degree from LSU Health Science Center School of Nursing. He began his career in the pediatric intensive care unit and has been a dedicated member of Manning Family Children’s for over a decade, with the last five years devoted to serving at JJIC. His commitment to the well-being and development of the city’s youth through both medical care and holistic support has been a profoundly meaningful and impactful aspect of his career. Kiana Tregre, MD, MPH, is a triple board-certified child and adolescent and forensic psychiatrist and serves as the site director of the behavioral and mental health clinic at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center, operated by Manning Family Children’s. In this role, she provides critical psychiatric care to some of New Orleans’ most vulnerable youth, many of whom have experienced trauma, instability, and systemic barriers to care. A New Orleans native and an assistant professor at Tulane University School of Medicine, Tregre also leads the women’s unit at the state’s forensic psychiatric facility. Her clinical leadership and commitment to justice- involved youth have been instrumental in strengthening the hospital’s reach into community-based mental health.