MENTAL HEALTH COURT

Mental health courts in Michigan have been established since the late 2000s. Mental health court is modeled after drug court and was developed in response to the overrepresentation of people with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system.

MHC PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Midland County Mental Health Court is a collaborative, problem-solving court that strives to promote stability, sobriety and safety for criminal participants who are suffering from a diagnosed mental illness in the criminal justice system of Midland County through an intensive program of evaluation, treatment and frequent monitoring of compliance, while ensuring the security and well-being of the community. In lieu of traditional punishment, the MHC diverts participants with diagnosed mental illness away from the criminal justice system by offering an alternative court. Participants are identified through mental health screenings and assessments completed by mental health providers. Participants voluntarily agree to participate in a judicially supervised treatment plan developed jointly by a team of court staff and mental health professionals with the agreement that participants will adhere to the courts program rules and non-adherence will be subject to sanctions.

For consideration for participation in Mental Health Court please submit a Referral Form to the program coordinator

Who Qualifies for Mental Health Court?

Midland County Mental Health Court has specific medical and legal criteria that have to be met in order to qualify for participation in their courts. There may be other criteria as noted below:

1) General Criteria:

1. You much be 18 years of age or older.
2. You must live in Midland County.
3. Diagnosis of a severe mental illness
4. Current charge is related to mental illness or co-occurring disorder

2) Medical Criteria:

1. Medical criteria will generally include a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder (also known as Axis 1 disorders). May accept individuals who have other Axis I disorders, such as depression or PTSD, as their primary diagnosis.
2. May exclude individuals with co-existing developmental disorders or traumatic brain injuries due to insufficient resources to ensure efficacious completion of Mental Health Court.

3) Legal Criteria:

1. The Midland County Mental Health Court with the exception of domestic violence, cannot accept defendants who are violent offenders as defined in MCL 600.1090(i) or who are charged with (or convicted of) criminal sexual conduct in any degree.
2. If the crime involved a victim, MCL 600.1094(4) is applicable: In addition to rights accorded a victim under the William Van Regenmorter crime victim's rights act, 1985 PA 87, MCL 780.751 to 780.834, the mental health court shall permit any victim of the offense or offenses of which the individual is charged as well as any victim of a prior offense of which that individual was convicted to submit a written statement to the court regarding the advisability of admitting the individual into the mental health court. Individual was convicted to submit a written statement to the court regarding the advisability of admitting the individual into the mental health court.