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Spokane District/Municipal Mental Health Court. Sales Tax Initiative.
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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 82.14.460) • In December of 2008, this initiative was extended by the BoCC until 2014.
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
Mental Health Court • 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 • The Mental Health Court Team consists of a Judge, Court Manager, Prosecuting Attorneys, Defense Attorneys, MH Court Evaluator, Court Case Manager, Probation Officers and support staff. • The team interacts regularly with treatment providers, Eastern State Hospital Legal Offender Unit, jail discharge staff and other important partners, including housing specialists and financial resource officers.
Referrals • Referral Sheet • Release of Information (ROI) • Criminal History • Exclude Convicted Sex Offenders, Felonies, Conviction of serious violent offenses • Accept Felony Reductions
Criteria • Clinical Criteria: serious and persistent mental illnesses (Axis I) • Legal Criteria: low-risk, non-violent offenses (misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors)
Spokane County District/Municipal Mental Health Courts MH Criminal Court MH Therapeutic Court Defendant has diagnosis of major mental illness(All MH Court cases start here) Defendant has diagnosis of major mental illness Defendant is amenable to treatment and capable of completing the MHTC Phases Defendant incapable or not amenable to completing MHTC Phases (or MHTC not feasible) Defendant “Opts-In” to the MH Therapeutic Court & enters into SOC Traditional negotiation towards resolution of case Defendant enters Phases of the MHTC & accesses services through the Court CM Probation considers Defendant’s mental health issues and existing services Defendant appears for treatment reviews (25+) & completes assignments/requirements Defendant appears for periodic Treatment Reviews (3-4) Defendant graduates from the MHTC and Case is dismissed
Felony Reduction Cases in MHC RejectionsViolent OffendersSex OffendersDid Not Meet Criteria
Services Obtained by MHC 7% not in services for 2009 were in BW status, incompetent or deceased
478 Defendants 2010 MHC Male/Female Defendant Breakout 2010 Average MHC Defendant Ages 2010 MHC Homeless Population
Outcomes • Reduce jail costs through decreasing recidivism • Serve the criminal system and the community • Serve mentally ill offenders in an effective process
2009 Jail Stays 91 Defendants
For Further Information Judge Debra Hayes Presiding MH Court Judge 509-477-2963 drhayes@spokanecounty.org Sandy Manfred, MS MH Court Manager 509-477-2277 smanfred@spokanecounty.org
2010 Service Providers 33% of Defendants Not Eligible for Medicaid