By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-756681.mp3
Jamestown, NY – The city of Jamestown opened a specialized court Monday designed to keep mentally ill people out of jail and in treatment.
The new mental health court in rural Jamestown is one of only 13 in the state. A pilot of the program was started last November to test the effectiveness of the program.
30 non-violent, mental health offenders were referred to the court either by police, jail or community health officials. The participants then entered an intense system, run by existing court personnel. The court monitors particiapnts' behavior and adherence to prescribed treatment.
Catherine Newton is project director. She said a lot of effort goes into making sure no one falls through the cracks.
Newton said local hospitals and mental health facilities are available if participants do need residential care for a time. One goal of the program is to keep mentally ill people out of already overburdened jails, where treatment is also more costly.
But Newton said the biggest benefit is that there are better outcomes with the specialized court system for the individual and the community.
Newton said the initial group of participants is doing quite well, with some even receiving vocational training or completing general equivalency programs. The court expects to handle about 40 new cases each year.
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