On Friday, representatives of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit and its community and justice system partners signed a collaborative agreement thereby establishing a new felony mental health court diversion program. It is designed to divert eligible individuals experiencing serious mental illnesses or co-occurring serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into comprehensive community-based treatment and support services, while at the same time protecting public safety.
Signatories to the agreement include the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit through Chief Judge Jack Tuter and the Trial Court Administrator, the State Attorney and Public Defender, the Sheriff and local law enforcement agencies, behavioral health specialists, and local and state government leaders.
