This symposium brings together research on the intersection of mental health, experiences of violence during adulthood or childhood, and their impact on health and justice outcomes. Using longitudinal linked administrative data for birth cohorts, the papers examine key transition points: preterm birth among young mothers, trajectories of outpatient mental health service use, child maltreatment across childhood and adolescence, and patterns of offending in early adulthood. The first paper explores how the intersection of mental illness and victimisation influences preterm birth risk. The second paper identifies developmental trajectories of mental health service use and their links to offending. The third paper investigates sex differences in the relationship between the nature and timing of child protection contacts and criminal justice system involvement, considering the role of mental health. Collectively, these papers highlight the overlapping needs of vulnerable individuals and the burden on health and justice systems. Findings underscore the importance of understanding the timing, persistence, and co-occurrence of adversity, and implementing early, sustained and integrated service responses.