CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – For the previous two years, Circuit Court Judge Katy Olita has been working to carry a Mental Health Court to Montgomery County. With a vote on Monday by the County Commission, the court docket may quickly be in session.

The nineteenth Judicial District Mental Health Court will assist people charged with crimes get the assistance they want if they’re coping with psychological well being points. This consists of in-house sources or outsourcing to psychological well being packages.

“Certainly, we can say that there are individuals with serious and persistent mental health issues that aren’t receiving the treatment and services that they deserve,” Olita informed Clarksville Now. “That impacts the health and well-being of our community.”

Origin of this system

The concept began within the fall of 2021 when Olita attended the Tennessee Judicial Conference and heard a panel dialogue on psychological well being courts.

Olita seemed into whether or not Montgomery County wanted one of these useful resource, and she or he reached out to Sheriff John Fuson, Clarksville Police Chief David Crockarell and others. They agreed one of these program wouldn’t solely assist the neighborhood but additionally native regulation enforcement.

She utilized for and obtained a Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation grant for $232,000. “They were so incredibly generous in awarding me the full amount of the grant,” Olita mentioned. “It’s allowed us to kick off this program with everything we could possibly dream of and need.”

The program already has an worker, Sharita Brown, employed as coordinator and program supervisor. She’s been understanding the court docket’s day-to-day capabilities equivalent to deciding what a participant’s program must seem like based mostly on their wants.

Olita mentioned Brown has hit the bottom operating constructing relationships with useful resource facilities equivalent to Centerstone, Mental Health Co-Op, Unity Psychiatric, Austin Peay State University, and the Montgomery County Health Department.

“I think the key has been shining a light on the need in our community,” Olita mentioned. “Once all of us acquired collectively, I believe everybody was unified on this idea that the way in which we’ve been doing issues isn’t serving our neighborhood members anymore and we have to change our method.

The Mental Health Court has additionally obtained $180,600 in state funding.

Program {qualifications}

The program is voluntary for a defendant 18 or older who has dedicated a misdemeanor or felony offense and has a extreme or persistent psychological well being situation. Certain legal prices will likely be excluded from this system.

“I’m hopeful to connect with our participants in a way that is designed to help them,” Olita mentioned. “If they are successful, that may mean a positive resolution for their criminal charges. Ultimately, if we can help one person, it’ll been worth it. It’s been a lot of work, but even if it helps just one person – it’ll have been worth it.”

The County Commission will vote on the matter on the subsequent fee assembly, 6 p.m. Monday on the County Courthouse.