Tennessee's 29th Judicial District now has its own mental health court, a new option aimed at people whose crimes are tied to untreated mental illness.
The court was created after the district received grant funding from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, WMC reported. The 29th Judicial District serves Dyer and Lake counties in northwest Tennessee.
The program is voluntary. It works with behavioral health providers and community partners to meet participants' treatment needs, with regular oversight from the court. The stated goal is to improve public safety by dealing with the underlying problems that lead some people into the justice system.
District Attorney General Danny H. Goodman Jr. assigned Assistant District Attorney Laura Clements to the newly formed court.
"I am excited for this opportunity," Goodman said. He said the court gives prosecutors a way to provide needed help to people who commit crimes largely because of untreated mental health issues, problems he said traditional prosecution does not adequately fix.
Mental health courts, like drug courts and veterans courts, are a type of specialty court. Instead of handling a case only through standard prosecution and sentencing, these courts typically pair participants with treatment and check in on their progress regularly in front of a judge.
Supporters of the approach say it can reduce repeat offenses by getting people the care they need, while still holding them accountable through court supervision.
Details on eligibility and how cases are referred to the new court were not included in the announcement.
Sources: WMC; 29th Judicial District Attorney General's Office; Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services