Collin County has launched a new specialty court to divert mentally ill offenders into a court-supervised outpatient treatment program instead of the traditional criminal justice process.
The program combines mental health treatment with frequent court appearances, home visits, case management, counseling and community based support services.
Judge Jennifer Edgeworth of the 219th District Court will preside over the program with Judge Lance Baxter of County Court at Law 3.
"Our goal is to help them help themselves and become contributing members to the community. And for so many of our individuals, that's really what they want," Judge Edgeworth told NBC 5. "They just don't know where to go and how to get it and they end up in the jail system rather than being treated."
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The program is open to people 17 and older with a mental health diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, major depression, bipolar and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Judge Edgeworth said as the population in Collin County has skyrocketed, so has the need for a program like this.
"What we have certainly seen after the pandemic is that mental illness is exacerbated and it's rising. And we see a need not just in our county, but so just truly across the country," she said. "In Collin County, we're no longer in the little town up north. We've passed a million people and continue to grow so definitely our needs do as well. And we definitely had a need for a mental health specialty court."
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Its start-up target is to bring 40 eligible cases into the alternative program. The court will begin accepting eligible felony and misdemeanor cases on Feb. 23.
The specialty court was funded by a $400,000 grant from Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office last fall. That helped cover the costs for counseling services as well as specialty staff that will help identify cases that could benefit from the program.
The specialty court staff includes program coordinator Donald Bell, case manager Michelle Garcia, specialist Molly Craft, and defense attorney Kim Laseter. That team will work together with community partners such as LifePath Systems to provide mental health treatment for offenders, safeguard the community, and decrease the need for hospitalization and incarceration.
"Collin County continues to make great strides serving those with mental health concerns. We are proud the new diversion court for offenses involving persons with mental illness has been created and appreciate another opportunity to assist those suffering from mental health issues in the criminal Justice system and provide them with services needed to remain stable." Danielle Sneed, Deputy Clinical Officer of LifePath Systems.
Judge Edgewater said they hope to apply for more funding as they get the program up and running.
"We've applied again for grants and we will continue to seek alternative ways for funding. And we're certainly hopeful that once we get the program off the ground that it will be seen as something that is a success for everyone involved," she said.
Officials estimate that the diversion program, described as an "intensive community supervision model," will run from 9-12 months for each participant, and those who complete it successfully can get their cases dismissed and expunged from court records.
Those who face certain charges like murder, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated robbery are not eligible to enroll.
The program will compliment Collin County's Mental Health Managed Counsel Program led by Alyse Ferguson, which is one of only a handful of county advocacy programs in Texas for the mentally ill.
"If we can address individuals in the beginning and treat the illness then we can keep them from continuing to reoffend and continue to cycle back through our jail system," said Judge Edgewater. "It is such a benefit not only to the individual, but to the community as well."
