This information is organized into three sections. The first section lists publications that provide an analysis of mental health courts or mental health court evaluations, the second section provides links to individual mental health court evaluations, and the third section provides links to additional resources on mental health courts/problem-solving courts.
1. Analysis of Mental Health Courts/Evaluations
· Pamela M. Casey and David B. Rottman. Problem-Solving Courts: Models and Trends. Williamsburg, VA: National Center for State Courts, 2003. at: <http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Publications/COMM_SpeProProbSolvCtsPub.pdf> Page 9 of this report discusses mental health court evaluations. Casey and Rottman state that the data from the various evaluation studies that they reviewed suggest that: a) mental health courts are effective in linking participants to treatment services; b) participants receive more treatment while involved in the mental health court compared to the level of treatment they receive prior to entering the program; c) treatment plans are based on individual’s specific needs; and d) bookings decrease for individuals once enrolled in the mental health court compared to prior mental health court involvement. If you would like to contact Dr. Casey directly, she can be reached at 757-259-1508 or pcasey@ncsc.dni.us
· Robert Berstein and Tammy Selzer. "The Role of Mental Health Courts in System Reform." University of the District of Columbia Law Review, Spring 2003. Currently available online at the Brazelon Center for Mental Health Law’s website at: <http://www.bazelon.org/issues/criminalization/publications/mentalhealthcourts/> This very comprehensive article provides a summary of the issues, a review of 20 mental health courts, analysis and recommendations, the role of mental health courts, the operation of mental health courts, mental health court procedures.,
· Greg Berman, Aubrey Fox, and Robert V. Wolf. A Problem-Solving Revolution--Making Change Happen in State Courts. The Center for Court Innovation, 2004. This publication, provides a collection of essays on problem-solving courts. Two chapters that might interest you include: Chapter Seven: "Just the Facts: What We Know and Don't Know About Problem-Solving Courts," by Greg Berman and Anne Guilick. This chapter discusses drug court, community court, and domestic violence court evolutions--but not mental health courts. If you would like a copy of Chapter seven of this publication, let me know and I can have it faxed to you. Chapter Ten: "And the Survey Says...: State Court Judges and Problem-Solving Courts," by Aubrey Fox discusses the results of a phone survey of over 500 judges. See: <http://www.problem-solvingcourts.org/ps_results.html>
· John S. Goldkamp and Cheryl Irons-Guynn. Emerging Judicial Strategies for the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Caseload: Mental Health Courts in Ft. Lauderdale, Seattle, San Bernardino, and Anchorage. Bureau of Justice Assistance, April 2000; <http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/bja/182504.pdf> This report discusses the successes and failures of four early mental health court programs.
2. Individual Mental Health Court Evaluations
· Stodola, Mark A. An Assessment and Evaluation of Mental Health Courts in Maricopa County, Arizona. Williamsburg, VA: Institute for Court Management, Court Executive Development Paper, May 2004; <http://www.ncsconline.org/D_ICM/ResearchPapers2004/Stodola,Mark.pdf>
· Lederman, Hon. Cindy. "Miami's Infant and Young Children's Mental Health Program: A Case Study." 2004 Future Trends in State Courts Updates. National Center for State Courts, Knowledge and Information Services, 2004; http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Publications/KIS_CtFutu_Trends04_Update.pdf This case study looks at the effectiveness of Miami's mental health court program for children.
· Herinckx, Heidi, et al. The Clark County Mentally Ill Re-Arrest Prevention (MIRAP) Program. Regional Research Institute for Human Services, Portland State University, September 30, 2003; <http://www.rri.pdx.edu/pdfMIRAP_Final.pdf> This report evaluates the Clark County Mental Health Court.
· Petrila, John. The Effectiveness of the Broward Mental Health Court. Louis de la Parte Mental Health Institute, November 2002; <http://www.fmhi.usf.edu/institute/pubs/newsletters/policybriefs/issue016.pdf>
· Petrila, John et al., "Preliminary Observations from an Evaluation of the Broward Mental Health Court."Court Review, Winter 2001; <http://aja.ncsc.dni.us/courtrv/cr37/cr37-4/cr37-4/CR37-4Petrila.pdf>
· Trupin, Eric. Mental Health Court Evaluation Report. City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Court, September 5, 2001; <http://www.cityofseattle.net/courts/pdf/MHReport.pdf>
· Mental Health Court Publications & Evaluations. Criminal Justice Mental Health Consensus Project; http://www.consensusproject.org/infocenter/research/mhcourts. These WebPages will provide links to mental health court evaluations as well as other articles on mental health courts. For example, Boulder, CO's PACE Program is a probation alternative for mentally ill offenders. The presiding judge sees the PACE program as an alternative to a mental health court because they cannot "afford" to designate one judge just for mental health cases. The PACE program is highlighted in the consensus project profiles.
3. Additional Resources on Mental Health Courts
· Questions and Answers: Problem Solving Reform. Center for Court Innovation; <http://www.problem-solvingcourts.org/questions.html> Includes information on problem-solving court strategies, evaluations, etc.
· Problem-Solving Court Results. Center for Court Innovation; <http://www.problem-solvingcourts.org/ps_results.html> These WebPages discuss the evaluation results of problem-solving courts generally.
· Mental Health Court State Links. NCSC CourTopic Database; <http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Publications/KIS_MenHeaStateLinks.pdf> This document lists where various mental health courts are located in the U.S. on a state-by-state basis.
· Mental Health FAQs, NCSC CourTopic Database; <http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/FAQs/MenHeaFAQ.htm> Contains a number of questions on mental health courts in this document.
· Problem-Solving Courts Resources, NCSC CourtTopic Database; http://www.ncsconline.org/wcds/Topics/topic1.asp?search_value=Problem%20Solving%20Courts
· Mental Health Resource Guide. CourtTopic Database; http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Education/KIS_MenHeaGuide.pdf Please find a sub-topic on mental health courts within this guide. The following is a list of additional highlighted resources, some of which can be found within this resource guide:
· Roger H. Peters and Fred C. Osher. "Co-Occurring Disorders and Specialty Courts." National GAINS Center and the TAPA Center for Jail Diversion, July 2003; http://www.gainsctr.com/pdfs/CoOccurringSpecialty04.pdf. This report provides an overview of mental health clinical issues judges and court staff should be aware of and also provides recommendations based on evidence-based practices.
·
California Judicial Council has a well developed website on mental health
courts. See: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/collab/mental.htm
as well as the Mental Health Courts Satellite Broadcast; ; http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/collab/documents/broadcast.pdf.
Descriptions of different programs and common elements were provided in this a
satellite broadcast program from November 2002.
· Patricia A. Griffin, et. Al. “The Use of Criminal Charges and Sanctions in Mental Health Courts.” American Psychiatric Association, 2002; http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/53/10/1285
· Bureau of Justice Assistance, Mental Health Courts Website; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/mentalhealth.html