A decade of success for mental health court
Johnson City PressJul 26, 2017
Mental health court has proven to be an effective tool for easing jail overcrowding while helping certain defendants get the counseling they so desperately need.
The concept has particularly been a success in
In the last decade, more than 57 people have successfully graduated from the program.
Instead of serving jail time, defendants (who are called "consumers" once they are accepted into the program by a panel of court and mental health officials) are required to complete a one-year program designed for them by the court's mental health professionals. Participants are obligated to report back to the mental health court on a regular basis until their treatment is complete.
Those who graduate from mental health court see their charges dismissed. Court officials say 65 percent of those individuals have not come back through the Washington County Criminal Justice System.
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It is gratifying to know that other communities are now using what has been learned from