Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren, who oversees the 17th Circuit’s misdemeanor mental health court, has been honored with a 2015 Award of Excellence by the National Council for Behavioral Health. In the category of Advocacy Leadership Awards, Judge Lerner-Wren was recognized as the Elected Official Service in Advocacy for her efforts to expand access to services for people living with mental illness and addiction.
Judge Lerner-Wren presides over the country’s first misdemeanor mental health court, which was established in Broward County, Florida in 1997. She was instrumental in replicating the implementation of this program on a national level; to date, many jurisdictions have replicated Broward County’s model. The court’s goal is to divert mentally ill people, charged with misdemeanor and non-violent offenses, into community-based treatment programs instead of incarceration.
The awards ceremony will take place in Orlando in April. Congratulations, Judge Lerner-Wren, for this prestigious recognition of your dedication to the mental health community!
