Before neuroscience research explained how inherited, biochemical brain problems were tied to human behaviors, parents and the environment were often blamed for the behaviors that brought children into juvenile courts. Teachers, police officers, neighbors, and many in the legal community had presumed that bad parenting was responsible for a child's misconduct. More than 1 in 10 people have an episode of mental illness during their lives. Eighty percent of those with mental illnesses can and should recover and lead healthy and productive lives. Prompt diagnosis and proper medical treatment increase the likelihood of recovery. The juvenile courts have the opportunity to recognize and restore thousands of children to healthy lives by providing mental illness treatment and by teaching children how to keep their brains healthy. When all mental health professionals and workers are equipped with up-to-date knowledge about brain illnesses, an 80-percent recovery rate can be reached. Meanwhile, the lack of effective treatment programs delays patient recovery. This delay increases the risk of reckless acts by the untreated mentally ill. Time is of the essence in mental illness recovery. Incarcerating a child or adult for aggressive behavior or an act of bad judgment that is based in symptoms of a mental illness might lessen the chance for recovery and for a normal life. Recidivism may be tied to recurrent episodes and increasing symptoms. All institutions that deal with the management of human behavior must become immersed in knowledge about mental illness. Such knowledge can be imparted through various mechanisms of public education. This article includes discussions of how knowledge about mental illness and its treatment can enhance family functioning, foster care, adoptions, and the termination of parental rights. Proposed legislation in Florida to provide education on mental illness in the public schools is also reviewed. 11 references