Transcript Spokane District/Municipal Mental Health Court

Spokane District/Municipal Mental
Health Court
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 January 2014, this initiative was extended by the BoCC
until 2019.
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
 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
Mental Health Court
 The Mental Health Court Team consists of a Judge, Court
Manager/Forensic Evaluator, Prosecuting Attorneys, Defense
Attorneys, Court Case Managers, Probation Officers and support
staff.
 The team interacts regularly with treatment providers, Eastern
State Hospital Legal Offender Unit, Jail Mental Health Staff and
other important partners, including housing specialists and
financial resource officers.
Referrals
 Referral Sheet
 Release of Information (ROI)
 Criminal History
Exclude Sex Offenders, Felonies, Serious Violent Offenses
 Accept Felony Reductions
Prescreen
Form
Criteria
 Clinical Criteria: Serious and persistent mental illnesses (Axis I)
 Legal Criteria: Misdemeanors and Gross Misdemeanors,
including Felony Reductions
Diagnosis
120
100
116
100
82
80
60
40
34
34
21
20
0
Major
Depressive
Disorder
Bipolar
PTSD
Schizophrenia
Schizoaffective
Psychotic
Disorder
Spokane District/Municipal Mental Health Courts
MH Pre-Conviction
MH Post-Conviction
Diagnosis of a major mental illness
Diagnosis of a major mental illness*
Amenable to treatment and capable
of completing the MHTC Phases
Unable to complete
Pre-adjudication SOC
“Opts-In” to the MHTC, enters into an
SOC (Stipulated Order of Continuance)
Begins 5 Phases of the MHTC &
accesses services
Appears for Treatment Reviews &
completes assignments/
requirements of each Phase
Graduates from the MHTC and case
is dismissed, receives certificate
Traditional negotiation, Defendant
pleads Guilty
Accesses mental health/substance
abuse treatment and services
through Probation
Appears for periodic Treatment
Reviews
May be returned to court for
probation violations
Successfully completes Probation
requirements and case(s) closed,
receives certificate
2014 Charges
348 defendants, 689 cases, 1009 charges
DV
Theft
Assault
Harrasment/ Mal. Mischief
Traffic Violations
DUI
Trespass
DWLS
Resisting Arrest /…
Negligent/Reckless…
Other
0
50
100
150
200
250
Defendants per Jurisdiction
2014 MHC Defendants By Jurisdiction
348 total
Both Courts
59, 11%
County Only
132, 38%
City Only
157, 45%
In Services at
Acceptance
In Services 2014
In Services 2013
In Services 2012
In Services 2011
In Services 2010
In Services 2009
In Services 2008
In Services 2007
In Svcs
199
155
183
205
217
160
127
56
Not in Total
Svcs
Def
140
348
182
337
200
383
220
425
261
478
250
410
214
341
182
238
% in
Svcs
57%
46%
48%
48%
45%
39%
37%
24%
Services Obtained by MHC
Defendants with a co-occurring diagnosis,
348 defendants
Co-Occuring
Diagnosis
75%
MH Diagnosis Only
25%
Outcomes
Reduce jail costs through decreasing recidivism
 Serve the criminal system and the community
 Serve mentally ill offenders in an effective process
Court Recidivism
Criminal Charges for Defendants Before and After Treatment
 843 committed crimes before treatment
 247 committed crimes after treatment
 The Mental Health Therapeutic Court has a 29% Recidivism Rate
71% of MHTC participants DO NOT commit crimes after
treatment!
2014 Referrals
Referrals
Accepted
138, 66%
Rejected
70, 34%
2014 Felony Reductions
44 Total, 28 Accepted / 16 Rejected
Accepted
28, 64%
Rejected 16,
36%
70
60
61
52
52
50
40
30
24
20
10
7
0
Medical Facilities
M H Court
ESH
Clinical and Court Evaluations
VA
Other (Private, etc.)
For Further Information
Judge Sara Derr
MH Court Judge
509-477-2959
[email protected]
Barbara Folden
MH Court Manager/Evaluator
509-477-2283
[email protected]