Welcome to the first Mental Health Court newsletter! My name is Jennifer Alcorta Waters and I am proud to be the Martin County Mental Health Court Judge. Born and raised in Martin County, I am very lucky to now be raising my own children here. I was appointed to the County Court bench in 2018 and I have been running our Mental Health Court since September of 2019. It is a privilege and honor to lead Mental Health Court.
Since the inception of Martin County Mental Health Court, we have addressed 485 cases, with 395 clients. We have had 146 clients successfully complete the program. On average, we have between sixty and eighty cases at any one time.
In Mental Health Court, we utilize a team treatment approach. Our case manager, Yuri Parraga, coordinates the clients, their appointments, and their treatment. Attorney Vicki Nichols represents the State Attorney’s office, and Attorney Katharine Alonzo, along with Michelle Derrico, represent the Public Defender’s office.
Although these lawyers advocate for their respective clients, Mental Health Court utilizes a holistic approach with treatment being paramount for the clients. We are lucky enough to also have peer specialists, other case managers and medical professionals who assist the court and the clients through the case.
Our clients come to Mental Health Court during or following a misdemeanor or felony criminal case in the following ways: a pretrial diversion program,wherein successful completion means that the charges will be dismissed; a condition of probation or supervision; or, as a condition of release. While in the program, our clients engage in medical management, therapeutic treatment, and ongoing drug and alcohol testing.
To graduate, the clients must successfully complete all aspects of mental health court. It is a rigorous and challenging process and all of the clients should be commended for their diligence, perseverance, and tremendous hard work.
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH COURT?
Martin County’s Mental Health Court began on October 31, 2007. Mental Health Court provides mentally ill defendants with the opportunity to receive community-based treatment and services through local providers while under the supervision of the Court. Mental Health Court is both a diversionary and supervisory program (as a condition of probation) that provides court supervision and social services through collaboration of state, county, and local non-profit agencies.
Mental health courts generally share the following goals: to improve public safety by reducing criminal recidivism; to improve the quality of life of people with mental illnesses and increase their participation in effective treatment; and to reduce court and corrections related costs through administrative efficiencies and often by providing an alternative to incarceration. Monitoring and treating offenders with a mental illness in a Mental Health Court is a more effective, efficient, and less expensive option than the remedies available through traditional justice system approaches.
Participants of the Mental Health Court must meet the minimum requirements of the program; engage in treatment and services; abstain from alcohol and other drugs, and display an improved quality of life in order to be able to graduate.
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
- Currently, Martin County Mental Health Court has 67 clients with 76 cases.
- 37 clients with misdemeanor offenses.
- 30 clients with felony offenses.
- There are 54 males and 13 females.
- A total of 19 clients graduated the program in 2020.
- Since 2007, 146 clients have graduated our program.
- The recidivism rate for our graduates is currently 8.5%.
- Currently, 34 of the clients in the program are diversion cases.
- 19 clients are on Conditional Releases.
- 10 are on probation.
- 26 of the currently enrolled clients are employed.
- 60 of the current clients have been approved for or receive some type of financial benefit.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In 2020 Martin County Mental Health Court received a 3-year renewal for the Criminal Justice Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant to continue funding treatment, services and assistance to the program’s participants. The program has been able to develop and reinforce strong community partnerships with local providers and brought Dr. Efrain Acosta-Leon on board as our Mental Health Court psychiatrist.
In June of 2020, the Doves Nest Mental Health House was established in Stuart, FL by Hugh Dove in collaboration with our court. The house offers a supportive,structured, and safe environment for men with an identified or diagnosed mental illness to reside in. This house has greatly benefited clients in the program and also mentally ill men who are not in our court. We also developed a partnership with Gary Matakaetis for independent housing available for mentally ill clients.
Recognizing there was a need for primary care services for uninsured individuals in the program, a partnership was created with Kristin Trenham, ARNP to provide medical check-ups, assessments, referrals, and prescriptions for those with untreated medical conditions. A collaborative partnership with Publix was achieved for the employment of our court’s participants through Chris Bagnati.
FEATURED CLIENTS
David has worked really hard to become the first featured client in our newsletter. David just started college and is enjoying being able to study what he loves – computer technology. His family shared that they are extremely proud of the person he has become since entering the program and the support they have received. David has been able to gain and maintain employment, attend all of his appointments as directed, stay compliant with his medications,abstained from using any substances, and has remained motivated to change his life around. We are very proud of you, David!
Greg graduated our program and is celebrating 60 days sober, no new charges since 2017, and 4 months without a psychiatric hospitalization! Greg is an extremely talented artist and his father would like to express his gratitude, as he shared that the Mental Health Court program allowed him to get his son back.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Our next Martin County Mental Health Court graduation will be on March 25th, 2021.Everyone is welcome to join us to celebrate our graduating clients’ hard work and accomplishments! Zoom will be available for anyone who wants to join us.
A music video is being created and published for a song produced, sang, and recorded by one of the Mental Health Court clients by the 19th Judicial Circuit.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!