Spokane District/Municipal Mental Health Court

Transcription

1 Spokane District/Municipal Mental Health Court

2 Sales Tax Initiative The Spokane County Commissioners requested a vote of the public to fund SSB 5763 which would fund therapeutic courts. The citizens voted in November 2005 for an increase in 1/10 of one percent of the sales tax to fund mental health treatment and therapeutic courts. (RCW ) In January 2014, this initiative was extended by the BoCC until 2019.

3 Mental Health Court The Mental Health Court represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between the mental health treatment system and the criminal justice system. The project has achieved the following outcomes for the mentally ill misdemeanant population: improved access to mental health treatment services improved well-being reduced recidivism improved public safety

4 In the regular system, misdemeanant defendants often interact with multiple defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges. In the past, mentally ill offenders often spent unnecessary time in jail and, lacking access to mental health treatment services on release, became repeat offenders and cycled through the justice system again and again. Mental Health Court

5 Mental Health Court The Mental Health Court Team consists of a Judge, Court Manager/Forensic Evaluator, Prosecuting Attorneys, Defense Attorneys, Court Case Managers, Probation Officers and support staff. The team interacts regularly with treatment providers, Eastern State Hospital Legal Offender Unit, Jail Mental Health Staff and other important partners, including housing specialists and financial resource officers.

6 Referrals Referral Sheet Release of Information (ROI) Criminal History Exclude Sex Offenders, Felonies, Serious Violent Offenses Accept Felony Reductions

7 Prescreen Form

8 Criteria Clinical Criteria: Serious and persistent mental illnesses (Axis I) Legal Criteria: Misdemeanors and Gross Misdemeanors, including Felony Reductions

9 Diagnosis Major Depressive Disorder Bipolar PTSD Schizophrenia Schizoaffective Psychotic Disorder

10 Spokane District/Municipal Mental Health Courts MH Pre-Conviction Diagnosis of a major mental illness MH Post-Conviction Diagnosis of a major mental illness* Amenable to treatment and capable of completing the MHTC Phases Opts-In to the MHTC, enters into an SOC (Stipulated Order of Continuance) Begins 5 Phases of the MHTC & accesses services Appears for Treatment Reviews & completes assignments/ requirements of each Phase Graduates from the MHTC and case is dismissed, receives certificate Unable to complete Pre-adjudication SOC Traditional negotiation, Defendant pleads Guilty Accesses mental health/substance abuse treatment and services through Probation Appears for periodic Treatment Reviews May be returned to court for probation violations Successfully completes Probation requirements and case(s) closed, receives certificate

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12 2014 Charges 348 defendants, 689 cases, 1009 charges DV Theft Assault Harrasment/ Mal. Mischief Traffic Violations DUI Trespass DWLS Resisting Arrest / Negligent/Reckless Other

13 Defendants per Jurisdiction 2014 MHC Defendants By Jurisdiction 348 total Both Courts 59, 11% City Only 157, 45% County Only 132, 38%

14 In Services at Not in Total % in In Svcs Acceptance Svcs Def Svcs In Services % In Services % In Services % In Services % In Services % In Services % In Services % In Services % Services Obtained by MHC

15 Defendants with a co-occurring diagnosis, 348 defendants Co-Occuring Diagnosis 75% MH Diagnosis Only 25%

16 Outcomes Reduce jail costs through decreasing recidivism Serve the criminal system and the community Serve mentally ill offenders in an effective process

17 Court Recidivism Criminal Charges for Defendants Before and After Treatment 843 committed crimes before treatment 247 committed crimes after treatment The Mental Health Therapeutic Court has a 29% Recidivism Rate 71% of MHTC participants DO NOT commit crimes after treatment!

18 2014 Referrals Referrals Accepted 138, 66% Rejected 70, 34%

19 2014 Felony Reductions 44 Total, 28 Accepted / 16 Rejected Accepted 28, 64% Rejected 16, 36%

20 Medical Facilities M H Court ESH VA Other (Private, etc.) 7 Clinical and Court Evaluations

21 For Further Information Judge Sara Derr MH Court Judge Barbara Folden MH Court Manager/Evaluator