Press Room
The Consensus Project is coordinated by:
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| PROGRAM TITLE: |
Multijurisdictional Mental Health Courts |
| AGENCY/ORGANIZATION: |
Maricopa County Superior Court |
| STATE: |
Arizona |
| YEAR ESTABLISHED: |
2002 |
| LEVEL OF JURISDICTION: |
County |
| ISSUE AREA: |
Courts: Adjudication and Sentencing |
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| POLICY STATEMENTS: |
none
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BJA 2003 GRANTEE? Yes
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Program Overview
There are two mental health courts in the Phoenix area funded with a 2002 BJA grant; the Maricopa County Probation Mental Health Court and the Tempe Municipal Mental Health Court.
The initial step in the development of a comprehensive Mental Health Court Project, the Mental Health Probation court focuses on the post-sentencing model serving seriously mentally ill (SMI) individuals sentenced to probation. Often these individuals have difficulty complying with their probation terms as a result of issues related to their illness.
The Tempe Municipal Mental Health Court was created as a misdemeanant diversionary court. Collaborations between the court, community organizations and the mental health system are underway to make Tempe's court a model for other municipalities and Justice Court jurisdictions within the county. We expect Tempe's innovative approach to be emulated across the county.
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Recent Dialogue
Question for
Everyone
The King County Mental Health Court is struggling to balance its success in referrals with resources earmarked for it. Especially in terms of size of court calendars and available calendar time, caseload/ workload numbers, etc. The dedicated defense team and other team members are feeling overwhelmed and are asking how other MHCs address caseload and calendar size. Can you provide info from your court re this? Our caseload is about 1/3 felony reduced to misdemeanor and 2/3 misdemeanor charges.
- Lois Smith
03/02/07 04:15 PM EST
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Program Description
The Criminal Department's Mental Health Probation Court was introduced in 2002. Specially trained probation officers working in the Adult Probation Departments' SMI Unit supervise probationers assigned to the court. Blending jurisprudence and treatment, a Mental Health Court Team was created including a judge, probation officers, designated deputy public defenders, deputy county attorney, the probationer's case manager from the agency providing treatment, ValueOptions' Mental Health Court Liaison, and Correctional Health staff when applicable. This multi-dimensional team collaborates to craft a plan for accessible, appropriate mental health services while also monitoring the probationer's compliance with that plan. Probationers, when provided with the appropriate level of care, who continue to violate their terms of probation or commit new criminal offenses, face the possiblity of having their probation revoked and face incarceration or commitment to a secured residential treatment facility.
The Tempe Muncipal Court was begun in 2003. At arraignment, if the defendants indicate that they are case managed or if their behaviors suggest a mental illness, a case referral form and authorization for release of information is sent to the designated mental health provider organization. If the defendant is case managed and voluntarily accepts the conditions of mental health court participation, their case will be staffed with the Mental Health Court Team. A multi-dimensional mental health team addresses the defendant's treatment needs and makes assessments for treatment referrals. The team includes the judge, prosecutor, public defender, case managers for the client's mental health treatment, ValueOptions Court Liaison, and other community treatment providers as necessary. Non-witness status review hearings will be held for a duration of approximately six months. There will be prosecutorial dismissal of the defendant's charges upon successful completion of the program. If unsuccessful, the defendant's case will be returned to a normal case track.
Outcome Data
A longitudinal study will be conducted to assess participants rates of recidivism, whether there has been an increase of psychiatric services provided, and if crisis and hospitalization rates have decreased.
Challenges / Areas for Improvement Identified
The lack of availabilty of appropriate level of services continues to challenge our Court especially in the areas of housing, residential treatment, co-occurring disorders treatment, and sex offender services. Several small study groups in our county are collaboring to address the improvement of court processes presently in place, to develop strategies of expansion in both the civil and criminal departments, and to offer educational opportunities to both court and therapeutic staff.
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Staff from the Consensus Project, GAINS EBP Center, and GAINS TAPA Center have not conducted an empirical evaluation of any of the profiles provided in the directory. Accordingly, the Consensus Project, GAINS EBP, and GAINS TAPA do not promote any of these programs as "models" or "best practices." Nor does the directory reflect an inventory of all relevant efforts underway across the country. Administrators of the programs included in the directory are largely responsible for maintaining information about their initiative current. Accordingly, staff cannot guarantee that the information in the directory is completely current.
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