Saturday, January 28, 2006
Ten to 15 percent of jail inmates have been diagnosed with mental illness.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The new Felony Mental Health Court in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court hasn't officially begun, but its administrators already have received seven referrals.
That's just one sign of the need for such a program, they say.
Judge Maureen A. Sweeney will oversee the mental health court when it begins in February. Turning Point Counseling Services will be the primary provider of mental health services for the court's participants, with additional support coming from Burdman Group Inc., Help Hotline Crisis Center and Ohio Adult Parole Authority.
The mental health court also is known as the Change Applying Rehabilitation Education and Support (CARES) program.
Al Nelis, forensic case manager with Turning Point, noted the successes of Youngstown Municipal Court's Mental Health Court program, which is overseen by Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr., and Mahoning County Felony Drug Court as operated by Judge John M. Durkin of common pleas court.
Those programs and CARES share similar goals: divert offenders away from jail; reduce the number of habitual offenders; save tax dollars; and improve public safety.
Mahoning County needs a felony-level mental health court because of the number of mentally ill persons who have been charged with more serious crimes, said Linda Blum, a forensic monitor for Turning Point.
Illness percentage
On average, 10 percent to 15 percent of adult county jail inmates have been diagnosed with mental illnesses, said Robert Knight, the jail's health administrator. That's in step with national averages, he noted.
Inmates with mental illnesses can be more costly than other inmates because the county must pay for their medications, Blum said. The estimated cost of incarcerating a mentally ill offender is $25,000 per year, but $3,000 per person per year for mental health court.The county's high unemployment rate also contributes to an increased rate of crimes committed by the mentally ill. "When basic needs can be met, you don't have the types of problems that we have here," said Joseph Sylvester, director of Turning Point.
People who qualify for Social Security disability benefits receive about $600 per month. That's barely enough to pay rent in a group home, let alone buy medications, Sylvester added.
Participation voluntary
Felony Mental Health Court participation is voluntary. The pilot program will accept up to 15 defendants whose mental health issues are believed to have contributed to their legal troubles. They will plead guilty to nonviolent fourth- or fifth-degree felonies and be placed on probation in order to receive treatment.
Turning Point personnel will conduct needs assessments of participants by reviewing their homes, educational backgrounds and medical and employment histories, then turn to a network of agencies that can help fill in gaps.
Participants also will set personal goals, whether those may be improving relationships with family members, anger management or other issues, Blum said.
Participants will meet with case managers and Judge Sweeney at least once a week in the beginning, less frequently as they make progress, Nelis said.
Those who complete the program may have their charges dismissed or probation terminated. Those who enroll but then don't cooperate are subject to sanctions, from simple reprimands to reinstatement of their original sentences.
Turning Point administrators don't expect to have problems with compliance. Municipal Mental Health Court participants appreciate the interaction with and recognition they receive from Judge Douglas, even when they are in trouble.
"For some of them, that's the highlight of the week -- to talk to the judge," Nelis said.
The program is beginning with about $25,000 in grant money from Ohio's Office of Criminal Justice Services and an additional $22,000 from Mahoning County Board of Mental Health. If they can show the program is succeeding, "then hopefully the money will come to us" through other grants and more support from the mental health board, Blum and Sylvester said.
Services that other agencies provide also keep program costs down, Nelis added.
shaulis@vindy.com