Recently I read an article in the Free Lance’s Citizens Voice.
Someone was complaining about the Mental Health Department and the
in-and-out jail situation involving some of the mentally ill that
apparently exists.
Recently I read an article in the Free Lance’s Citizens Voice. Someone was complaining about the Mental Health Department and the in-and-out jail situation involving some of the mentally ill that apparently exists. I am aware that there are programs designed to help resolve this problem. For example: San Luis Obispo has developed a new court program that requires a group of such offenders to check in with a judge on a regular basis, even if they are behaving just fine. Before this new program was put into effect, mentally ill probationers checked in with different judges and only when they misbehaved. Under the new mental health court program, the probationers will appear before the same judge at a set time – as often as every two weeks at the outset – just to tell him how they’re doing.
They are required to meet regularly with a therapist or group. In the past, the judge said, “Go to therapy,” but he had no means to check on this. Now there is communication and follow-up to see that this is being done. Furthermore, the probationers seem to respond more seriously to a judge.
The cost factor always comes up, however, once a program is in full swing it would seem to cut costs, as jail time is cut. San Luis Obispo court received a $20,000 state grant to cover administrative costs and help in trying to place the attendees in jobs.
Perhaps it is time for San Benito County to investigate this kind of program. Similar ones exist in Santa Maria, San Francisco and Riverside, and it is similar to the one offered in San Luis Obispo for drug offenders. We are a small county, but we can be an efficient one!
Teres Ryan,
Hollister
