The chronic severely mentally ill are crowding our local jails. Changes in state resources, combined with a general misunderstanding of this issue, have made it very difficult to solve this community-wide problem. Fortunately, in the last eight years, the Judiciary has become a partner in the nationwide attemmt to address severe mental illness. As a result, Mental Health Courts were implemented to help solve these problems.
Your clark County Mental Health court is designed to identify, treat, and supervise the severely and persistently mentally ill that have multiple arrests and contacts with our local jails. Established in December 2003, the court's goal is to reduce the burden on our jails by providing the severely mentally ill an opportunity to establish and maintain independent, crime-free living. In order for the court to be successful, we initiated a partnership between the Clark County Sheriff, Detention Center, Courts, Nevada Parole and Probation, Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health, Clark County Public Defender, Clark County District Attorney, and non-profit mental health providers. This partnership has provided a united approach to solving the mental health crisis in Clark County.
Many have asked, "How does Mental Health Court work?" First, jail social workers or nurses identify consumers as possible mental health court clients when they are arrested and booked into custody. Second, jail psychological staff completes a more formal mental health diagnosis and makes a referral to Mental health Court. Next, Mental Health Court reviews the criminal background and requests an interview from Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (SNAMHS) to identify eligibility for case management/treatment services. Last, if all the reviews and conditions of the case are favorable, the consumer is placed on the court's calendar for acceptance.
Generally, extremely violent cases are not eligible for Mental Health Court and it should be noted that Nevada law allows the District Attorney to deny entry into Mental Health Court for a violent prior offense. While a participant in Mental Health Court, weekly status checks provide structure and continuity while consumers stabilize, re-enter the community, and maintain independent living.
Results of reducing the burden placed on our jails by the severely mentally ill are encouraging. To date, thirty-three consumers have been accepted into the program. A review of the consumers' criminal and jail records twelve months prior to entering Mental Health Court revealed that these consumers accumulated 3,529 days in local jails and accounted for 129 community-wide arrests. Since the advent of Mental Health Court, these consumers have accumulated 777 days in jail and forty-nine arrests, a reduction of 78 percent and 62 percent respectively.
We believe Mental health Court is a win-win concept: It saves the taxpayer's money, saves the severely and persistently mentally ill from unnecesasry incarceration while protecting public safety, and provides consumers an opportunity for a better quality of life. We are extremely honored to be a part of the Clark County Mental Health Court and remain committed to its long-term viability and success.
If you or a family member wishes to get involved in the Mental Health Court, contact NAMI at 702 233-4573 or a make a contribution to the "Rewards and Incentives" program. We would appreciate your support.
