JMHCP Grantee (2010) -- Dougherty (GA) Superior Court MH/SA Division

Quick Facts:

Date accepted first participant:
October/2002
Mental health docket frequency:
Weekly
Number of participants per year:
51-100
Clinical eligibility criteria:
  • The court accepts participants with any Axis I or Axis II mental health diagnoses
  • The court accepts participants with Axis I diagnoses if the diagnoses correspond to state criteria for “serious and / or persistent mental illness”
Clinical exclusion criteria:
  • Traumatic brain injuries
    • Legal eligibility criteria:
    • Misdemeanors
    • Misdemeanor probation violations
    • Felonies (property)
    • Felonies (nonviolent)
    • Felony probation violations
    Case disposition upon successful program completion:
  • Participants' charges may be dismissed upon successful completion
  • Participants' time under supervision may be reduced
    • Case disposition upon unsuccessful program completion:
  • Participants must serve their deferred sentence
  • Participants are returned to the court of original jurisdiction for case processing
    • Court and service components funded by:
  • Federal funds
  • State funds
  • State mental health funds

    • JMHCP Grantee Information

    Grant Year
    2010

    JMHCP Grantee (2010) -- Dougherty (GA) Superior Court MH/SA Division

    Contact:

    Name:
    Stephen Goss
    Title:
    Judge
    Organization:
    Dougherty (GA) Superior Court MH/SA Division
    Address:
    P.O. Box 1827
    Albany, GA 31702
    Email:
    judgestevegoss@bellsouth.net
    Phone:
    229-434-2683

    JMHCP Grantee (2010) -- Dougherty (GA) Superior Court MH/SA Division

    General: Jurisdiction, History, and Planning

    Grantee Year:
    Mixed
    Other collaborative criminal justice/mental health initiatives in community:
    CIT Training
    drug abuse classes at the jail facility
    Date accepted first participant:
    October/2002
    Mental health docket frequency:
    Weekly
    Number of participants per year:
    51-100
    Planning and oversight/advisory group:
  • The court had a planning committee that has evolved into an oversight/advisory capacity
    • Oversight group members:
  • Community mental health service provider
  • State mental health agency representative
  • Substance abuse treatment provider
  • Consumers' advocate
  • Judicial officer (e.g. a judge or magistrate)
  • Court administrator / program director
  • Prosecutor
  • Public defender

    • Eligibility Criteria

    Clinical eligibility criteria:
    • The court accepts participants with any Axis I or Axis II mental health diagnoses
    • The court accepts participants with Axis I diagnoses if the diagnoses correspond to state criteria for “serious and / or persistent mental illness”
    Clinical exclusion criteria:
  • Traumatic brain injuries
    • Establishment of clinical eligibility criteria:
  • They were established in consultation with mental health treatment providers
  • They were established with an understanding of the jurisdiction's treatment capacity
    • Legal eligibility criteria:
    • Misdemeanors
    • Misdemeanor probation violations
    • Felonies (property)
    • Felonies (nonviolent)
    • Felony probation violations
    Effect of criminal history on eligibility:
  • Yes, individuals with past violent crimes are excluded from participation
  • Yes, individuals with past sex offenses are excluded from participation
  • Yes, individuals with past arson offenses are excluded from participation
    • Degree to which crime victims are involved in court processes:
    Sometimes the victims come to court. They are given notice of court dates. However, few of our cases involve victims.Many of our participants are coming in on technical probation violations( ie drug t
    Reasons for lack of victim involvement in court processes:

      Court Team and Training

      Personnel who participate in case staffings:
      • Court administrator / program director
      • Prosecutor
      • Defense attorney
      • Treatment provider or case manager employed by community mental health service provider
      • Community supervision officer (probation or parole)
      Job orientation:
      Staff receive peer-to-peer training
      Ongoing training:
        Training topics:
        • Overview of mental illness (e.g. recognizing symptoms or medications)
        • Information sharing with community mental health service providers
        • Diversion options
        • Substance abuse treatment

        Participant Information

        Primary sources of referrals:
        • Family/friends of the defendant
        • Jail staff
        • Probation officers
        • Judges
        • Prosecutors
        • Defense attorneys
        Mental health screening conducted by:
      • Community mental health service provider
        • Mental health assessment conducted by:
      • Staff of mental health court
        • Point at which full mental health assessment conducted:
        Before eligibility is determined

        Terms and Duration of Participation

        Legal mechanism by which participants are accepted into court program:
      • Participants plead guilty and have their sentence deferred
      • Participants are sentenced to participation after a finding of guilt
      • Participants are sentenced to participation after committing a probation violation
      • Participants opt into the court after committing a probation violation
        • Case disposition upon successful program completion:
      • Participants' charges may be dismissed upon successful completion
      • Participants' time under supervision may be reduced
        • Case disposition upon unsuccessful program completion:
      • Participants must serve their deferred sentence
      • Participants are returned to the court of original jurisdiction for case processing
        • Terms of participation:
        They are individualized based on the offense and the clinical diagnosis
        The court uses a formal, standard written contract for all participants:
        Yes
        Minimum and maximum periods of participation:
      • No, there are no minimum or maximum periods of participation
        • Average length of participation:
        1 year to 2 years

        Confidentiality and Informed Choice

        The court obtains written consent to release personal information:
        Yes, participants sign a single release
        Court-supervised treatment becomes part of the participants' criminal record:
        No
        The court has standard protocols for establishing legal competence of potential participants:
        Yes, the court program has a system for establishing legal competence aside from the state system
        Length of time to assess participants' legal competence
        One week
        After assessment of legal competence, length of time before assessment of clincial competence:
        One week
        Defense counsel helps potential participants decide whether to enter the court:
        Yes

        Monitoring, Supervision, Treatment, and Adherence

        Monitoring and supervision of participants primarily performed by:
        each participant has a designated state probation officer that is a team member plus a community mental health case manager
        Services available to court participants:
      • Emergency psychiatric services (crisis stabilization)
      • Assistance in locating housing
      • Assistance in accessing benefits (e.g. Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, veterans)
      • Transportation (e.g. bus fare, rides to program-related appointments)
      • Supported employment
      • Inpatient mental health treatment
      • Outpatient mental health treatment
      • Substance abuse treatment (independent from mental health treatment)
      • Integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment
      • Medication management
      • Group psychotherapy
        • Court-supported services available after program completion:
        Some
        Rewards and incentives applied to participants who adhere to terms of treatment plans:
      • Early completion of participation in court program
      • The court does not have a standardized list of rewards / incentives
      • Praise from the judge
      • Increased time between status hearings
      • Reduced/waived fees for probation supervision or drug testing
      • Wrap around services such as help with clothing, home repairs, purchasing materials for school and employment, etc.
        • Sanctions applied to participants who do not adhere to terms of treatment plans:
        • Jail
        • Expulsion from the program
        • Modifications in treatment plan (e.g. more frequent appointments with a case manager, adjustment to medications, increased drug screening, etc.)
        • The court does not have a standardized list of sanctions.
        • Judicial reprimands
        • Increased frequency of status hearings
        • Increased supervision intensity (e.g. meetings with a probation officer or case manager, drug testing, visits to court on a normal docket day)
        • Home visits
        • Restriction of privileges (e.g. curfew, travel)
        • Community service

        Sustainability

        Court and service components funded by:
      • Federal funds
      • State funds
      • State mental health funds
        • Has the court received media coverage?
        Yes
        Is there published research on the court program?
        Yes
        About this information:

        A program representative provided this information details through a detailed survey.

        For more information on the survey, read about our methodology or download a pdf of the full survey.

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