Mental health court (MHC) facilitates cooperation between the state mental health system, mental health service providers, and the court. This allows the state mental health system to provide repeat adult offenders who need mental health services with treatment and other mental health services aimed at improving their ability to function in the community, thereby reducing recidivism and easing the workload of the court.

To be eligible, offenders must have a mental health diagnosis or mental health treatment history, with priority given to defendants with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Additionally, all eligible defendants are screened by the district attorney who addresses public safety concerns.

Mental health courts are operational in the following counties:

• Brunswick (District 15)
• Durham (District 16)
• Forsyth (District 31)
• Guilford (District 24)
• Mecklenburg (District 26)
• Orange (District 18)
• Pitt (District 3)