This issue of TMCEC’s journal features multiple articles and resources related to mental health, including a feature article on Class C misdemeanors and mental health procedures. This brief describes different types of peers in court settings, the roles peers can play in court, lessons from the field with examples of peers in the courts, and links to additional resources. Peers in Courts (National Judicial Taskforce to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness) is a Behavioral Health State Court Leadership Brief developed with funding from the State Justice Institute. Court leaders are well positioned to convene stakeholders to implement effective responses to reduce the negative impacts on the nation’s courts. Collaborative efforts among justice, mental-health, and public-health systems are essential to respond to individuals who frequently cycle through systems. State Courts’ Responsibility to Convene, Collaborate and Identify Individuals Across Systems (National Center for State Courts) This is an article from NCSC’s 2020 Trends in State Courts. It includes a list of potential stakeholders, action step checklists, sample meeting agendas, assessment questions. It lays out the steps for beginning the movement toward change in the court and community’s response to mental health and co-occurring disorders-from inviting stakeholders to the first meeting to sustaining the initial momentum for long-term progress. The Leading Change Guide (National Center for State Courts) for judges and court leaders is intended for court professionals who want to create change in how mental health needs are addressed in their communities but aren’t sure how to get started. Texas Juvenile Mental Health Courts: An Evaluation and Blueprint for the Future, Children At Risk, prepared for the Meadows Foundation Municipal Courts: An Effective Tool for Diverting People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders from the Criminal Justice System (Report prepared for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) by Policy Research Associates, Inc.) In July 2022, the taskforce released findings and recommendations. This includes a Publications and Resources document. It has developed tools, resources, best practices, and policy recommendations for the state courts. The National Judicial Taskforce to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness was established by the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators in March 2020 to assist state courts in their efforts to more effectively respond to the needs of court-involved individuals with serious mental illness. Municipal courts not only see the highest volume of defendants in the Texas criminal justice system, but also have jurisdiction over the offenses most likely to be manifestations of mental illness and co-occurring disorders (mental illness and substance abuse). Local, State, and National efforts have been underway as the concern grows for defendants with mental illness in the criminal justice system. Once they reach the courts, defendants with mental illness pose significant challenges for the courts. (Denckla, Derek & Berman, Greg, Rethinking the Revolving Door, A Look at Mental Illness in the Courts, Center for Court Innovation, 2001). Before arriving in the criminal justice system, these individuals have frequently fallen through the “safety net” of families, hospitals, and community-based treatment providers. According to the Department of Justice, 75 percent of female inmates and nearly 63 percent of male inmates in local jails have a mental health problem (Bureau of Justice Statistics, Special Report, Mental Health Problems of Prison and Jail Inmates, September 2006). This page is designed to provide magistrates, municipal judges, court administrators, clerks, prosecutors, juvenile case managers, and other court support personnel with resources related to mental health.
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