Jackson County s Cross-Functional Mental Health Court Model

1. Jackson County’s Cross-Functional Mental Health Court Model Presenters: Judge John Williams Commissioner David Fry Melanie Triplett, Mental Health Court Manager Theresa Cummings, Director of Program Development

2. Session Objectives Benefits and challenges of a cross-jurisdictional mental health court model Cross-functional roles and benefits of a trans-discipline leadership team

3. Sessions Objectives Similarities and differences between local drug courts and mental health courts Gaining community support and leveraging resources through evaluation

4. Kansas City MunicipalMental Health Court Hon. John B. Williams, Judge Kansas City Municipal Court

5. Mental Health Court Definition Specialized court docket for persons with mental illness. Voluntary participation in a judicially supervised treatment plan developed jointly by a team of court staff and mental health professionals. Incentives Sanctions Graduation *BJA Essential Elements of Mental Health Courts

6. 10 Essential Elements Planning and Administration Targeted Population Timely Participant Identification and Linkage to Services Terms of Participation Informed Choice * Council of State Governments Justice Center for BJA

7. 10 Essential Elements Treatment Supports and Services Confidentiality Court Team Monitoring Adherence to Court Requirements Sustainability * Council of State Council Governments Justice Center for BJA

8. Kansas City’s Mental Health CourtBrief History… 2001: Appointed Commission Designed with municipal and circuit courts Initial Study of jail inmates Snicker Study

9. History Continued 2002: Operations began with support from COMBAT and Mental Health Levy. Monitoring Defense: Legal Aid External Evaluation

10. How It Works Problem-Solving Courts: Conference of Chief Justices Voluntary Diversion Program: Community-Based Pre-Adjudication, Pre-Trial, Pre-Plea Case dismissed IF client completes program

11. How It Works Offense; Case Filed Detected as potential for Mental Health Court from many sources. KCMO Police Dept Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) Judge, Prosecutor Victim / Witness Case Worker Attorney

12. How It Works Legal Aid attorney may be assigned Program explained same day Determination of Eligibility: Mental Illness, non-violent, charges excluded such as DUI Evaluation or plea Monthly court visits Monitoring treatment and compliance Minimum 6 months

13. Mental Health Court Process Outcomes COMMUNITY LEVEL Collaboration between justice, corrections and mental health systems Intergovernmental collaboration Access to defense counsel

14. The Future of Mental Health Court Integrate new treatment and changes at MCI Build on City-County collaboration and share expertise. Higher risk clients Smart and compassionate

15. Jackson County Drug CourtMental Health Track Commissioner David Fry Jackson County Drug Court

16. Jackson County Drug CourtHow it starts Commitment to treatment as alternative to incarceration Develop graduation requirements Develop eligibility criteria Gain support of the community Court Resources; Treatment, Probation, Support Mental Health Include Law Enforcement, Public Defender and Defense Bar Identify Services for Defendant

17. Jackson County Drug Court Prosecutor identifies case at filing Charges files in treatment court Initial appearance Attorney consultation Assessment of defendant

18. Jackson County Drug Court Defendant orientation to program Integration of Defendant to support and supervision Regular staffing and court appearances Identification and referral for mental health assessment at any time

19. Jackson County Drug CourtMental Health Track Identification and referral from any treatment member Assignment to special mental health track docket Assessment of Defendant, including jail Dual enrollment in court

20. Jackson County Drug CourtMental Health Track Drug Treatment Placement in COD group counseling Continued monitoring or mental health service compliance Staffing bifurcated drug treatment and mental health treatment Sanctions and Incentives

21. Jackson County Drug CourtMental Health Track Diversion Managers (Probation Supervision) Client Advocates, support services, housing assistance, medical care Treatment provider Defense Counsel and Prosecutor Mental Health Court Navigator Assessment, results, monitoring compliance

22. Jackson County Drug CourtMental Health Track Different than Mental Health Court because drug charge is the primary reason for referral and treatment. Co-occurring treatment models that focus on clients recovery process within the judiciary. Sanctions Incentives

23. Future of Drug Court Enhance Drug Court Services Mental Health Court with separate criteria Court resources for Probation Department

24. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports Melanie Triplett, Mental Health Court Manager

25. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports Program Goals Foster public safety Improve the care and treatment of persons with mental illness who are involved in the legal system Decrease frequency and duration of contact with the criminal justice by mentally ill individuals in our community

26. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports Program Goals Increase cooperation and coordination between the mentally ill individuals in our community Increase cooperation and coordination between the mental health system and the criminal justice system Ease the burden on the criminal justice system More efficiently utilize resources

27. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports Admitted upon clinical and legal screening Evaluation Initial Monitoring appointment Determine compliance with treatment plan Link to services Ongoing treatment Return to court for monthly reports

28. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports TARGET POPULATION Jackson County residents who are charged with a municipal and/or a low class felony offense and who are experiencing one of the following: Severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) Brain injury Mental retardation Dual diagnosis (SPMI and Substance Abuse)

29. Our clientsOverall Statistics through Feb 2008

30. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports Referred to MHCD program/MHC track Legal eligibility is determined Screening date is determined If the screening warrants further assessments, an assessment is scheduled Clinical eligibility is determined

31. Mental Health CourtMonitoring and Clinical Supports Initial Monitoring Appointment Review of overall program Individual Service Plan is Developed Client Contract is Signed Determine treatment provider - CMHC - Private - Linkage, Brokerage, Appointments are set up

32. How Mental Health Court Works Screening: bio- psycho- social. If found mentally ill, there is a full assessment If accepted: treatment plan by a Team. Psychiatry, Individual or Group Therapy Connection to social services Clinical monitoring for 6-12 months, plus incentives or supportive sanctions Once goals are achieved: Graduation and dismissal of charges

33. Mental Health Court Outcomes Graduates have low recidivism: 8.7% at one year in 2008 Clients who withdraw voluntarily still gain Court combines charges, reducing appearances

34. Mental Health Court Outcomes Recidivism is defined as a person with prior convictions, who after participating in the MHC program received another conviction

36. Mental Health Court Outcomes863 discharges by the end of 2008

37. Monitoring Monitors do not provide any treatment Monitors are responsible for assuring releases are signed by the offenders and that they are compliant with the recommendations of the treatment provider Monitors are to report the level of compliance to the Judge

38. Incentives to Comply Gift Certificates Change in treatment Dismissed charges Graduation from the program Moved to the top of the docket Decrease in hearings before the Judge Reduction in fees/fines

39. Community Support and Leveraging Resources Theresa-Reyes Cummings, Program Development Director, Jackson County Community Mental Health Levy

40. Similarities Comprehensive treatment approach Diversion models Sanctions and Incentives Dismissal of Charges upon successful graduation

41. Differences Municipal Court - jail is not usually a sanction No government supported supervision like Probation & Parole Main issue is mental health Drug Court is Co-Occurring Larger range of sanctions Ordinance Court vs. Felony Court

42. Cross-Jurisdictional Court Model? Avoids conflicting or duplicating orders Eliminate arrests and detentions that conflict with treatment Multi-jurisdictional coordination and collaboration of resources Consolidates resources and avoids waste

43. Cross Functional Roles Service and Consumer Oriented Coordination between Probation and Parole Mental Health Providers Employment Services Housing Services Court Monitors/MH Navigators

44. Trans-discipline LeadershipMental Health Court Commission Jurisdictional Leadership Coordination of the Courts Prosecutors Service Providers Evaluators Defense Bar Law Enforcement Funders Consumers Community

45. The Jackson County Community Mental Health Fund Mental Health Court $165,000 monitoring $60,000 legal defense $200,000 Rapid Response $87,000 Evaluation Fund existing community treatment

46. The Jackson County Community Mental Health Fund: What We’re Doing Community leadership and leveraging resources Encouraging national best practices Engaging community leaders Public and private funding; city / county collaboration

47. Leveraging Resources National Attention National Centers for State Courts Study Rutgers University NIMH Study Federal Resources BJA $199,000 grant for enhancement and expansion Increase training Develop a tool-kit Increase access to MHC throughout Jackson County Evaluation

48. Jackson CountyMental Health Courts Balancing the scales of Mental Health and Justice Thank You