Originally published: . Volume 4, No. 9. Source pages: 3, 4.
30 Yeas –– 0 Nays
A bill by Senator Sharon Broome of Baton Rouge passed the Senate floor with a vote of 35 to 0 and was sent to the House on Monday, April 29.
The legislation will authorize mental health court treatment programs in the state, allowing the chief judge of each judicial district to establish a mental health court. The bill defines terms related to the mental health court treatment programs, mental health court professionals, pre- and post- adjudicatory programs, combination programs, and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues.
A mental health court is a structured judicial intervention process for eligible defendants that can include local social and treatment programs, and monitoring by the judges.
According to the digest, the “Proposed law provides procedures to be utilized in operating a mental health court treatment program, including a regimen of graduated requirements, rewards, and sanctions.” This may include fines, fees, costs, restitution, incarceration, individual and group therapy, medication, educational or vocational counseling, and other reasonable requirements to complete the program.
“Proposed law provides for mental health court treatment programs to maintain or collaborate with a network of programs which deal with mental illness and co- occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues. Further provides that the mental health court program may designate a court liaison to monitor the progress of defendants in their assigned treatment programs on behalf of the court.”
Certain crimes are excluded from the mental health court: first or second degree murder, aggravated or criminal sexual assault, armed robbery, arson, stalking, and any crime of violence involving discharge of a firearm.
The Fiscal Office notes that a mental health court is “a specialized court docket (like drug courts) that focuses on individuals who have been charged with a crime and also have a mental health illness. For illustrative purposes, the 22nd Judicial District Court currently has a mental health court that currently has 30 clients. The current cost of this court is approximately $50,000 for 1 client administrator and funded entirely with local funds. According to the 22nd Judicial District, the mental health services these clients receive are provided by private providers 9throught private insurance) or state clinics (state expenditures).”
They also note, “For context, the state has 48 drug courts that currently cost approximately $16 million of which $10 million is state general fund. The state’s drug courts see approximately 2,800 clients per month.”
“I’ve seen this work very well in the St. Tammany parish,” Dr. Alicia Pellegrin told the Times. “It provides a way for these people to get help. Instead of sending people to jail, their illness is seen as a mitigating factor and to be treated,” she said. Pellegrin is currently the Legislative Chair for the state psychological association. “We certainly support the concept. It is not clear how it will get funded. The devil is in the details,” she said.
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