FEATURED SERVICES:

	Mental Health Services
	Substance Abuse Services
	Prevention and Intervention
	Family Emergency Treatment Center (FETC)
	Compass Center
	Mental Health Court
	Home 2 Recovery
	FACT Team
	Juvenile Addictions Receiving Facility (JARF)
	Senior Services
	Women's Block Grant Services

Mental Health Court

MISSION
The mission of Mental Health Court is to establish a link between the judicial system and local community service providers thereby facilitating rehabilitation through treatment instead of traditional legal penalties. The program reduces the number of incarcerated individuals with mental illness along with the costs incurred for their care.

MENTAL HEALTH COURT
Any person charged with a misdemeanor crime, except DUI, domestic violence and battery, who is presently mentally ill or has a history of such, is eligible to be screened for participation in the Mental Health Court Program. Qualified cases are diverted from the regular criminal court docket to a court environment that will ensure that defendants with mental illness are treated with dignity. The Judge, Court staff, Legal Counsel and Treatment Team offer guidance to ensure defendants successfully complete the program.

Participation in the program is voluntary and all defendants must:

Attend regular court appearances
Demonstrate progress toward goals
Establish cooperatively an individualized intervention plan
Meet conditions of probation, if applicable
Participate in mental health treatment
Refrain from all illegal activity

GOALS
In addition to the improvement of public safety for our community at large, the Mental Health Court strives to assist non-violent offenders with mental illness to:

Improve quality of life and personal well being
Obtain mental health treatment, through improved access to services
Participate in alternatives to incarceration, when legally permitted
Reduce chance of recidivism through education
Reduce time to process charges through the criminal justice system

REFERRALS

Download Mental Health Court Brochure

Lee County Mental Health Court

Sarasota County Mental Health Court