The authors argue that much of the decline in the health status of detainees after discharge from custodial facilities where health care has produced health improvements is due to a breakdown in the continuity of care in the communities to which the juveniles return. The proposed discharge model would increase the efficiency of the discharge of detainees from juvenile justice centers into the community, as well as any transfers from the centers to adult facilities. Under the model, discharge planning would begin at admission to the facility, as assessment would not only focus on the identification of health needs requiring treatment while in the facility, but would also identify health needs that will require ongoing treatment after discharge. The custodial facility would then identify appropriate community resources to meet the identified needs of the detained juvenile after his/her discharge. Just prior to and upon discharge, the detainee will be linked to designated community agencies and programs through a "community liaison coordinator." In the case of transfer to an adult facility, the community liaison coordinator would ensure that a juvenile's health needs are matched to health services at the new facility. 1 figure and 11 references