Individuals with mental illness enter the criminal justice system on a repeat basis. What are courts doing to stop the cycle? Should courts get into the business of coordinating mental health treatment for those involved in the criminal justice system? The presenter in this webinar will discuss these questions in the context of the multitude of mental health court models in operation across the country. Mental health court models vary by the point of entry into the criminal justice system, the agencies invested in the program, and who the program serves. There is a trend across the nation that calls for mental health courts to demonstrate accountability and effectiveness. This webinar will discuss how states are responding to this call through efforts such as implementation of statewide standards and program evaluations to demonstrate effectiveness.
Panelists:
Nicole L. Waters, PhD, Principle Court Research Consultant, National Center for State Courts.
Nicole L. Waters, a Principal Court Research Consultant, has been with the Research Division of the National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, VA since 2000. Current work at the Center includes investigating evidence-based research on problem-solving courts. In addition to evaluating several local mental health courts across the country, Dr. Waters has researched mental health courts both statewide and nationally. This work includes a statewide evaluation of mental health courts (MHCs) in Arizona, development of statewide standards for MHCs, development of national performance measures for MHCs, and the development of communication models to understand structures in MHCs between treatment providers and the courts. She has gained a broader understanding of problem-solving courts after directing a census of problem-solving courts nationwide.