Mental Health Treatment Courts
About
Mental health treatment courts (MHC) aim to promote recovery and reduce recidivism in high-risk, high-need individuals with repeat infractions related to their serious mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder. 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 participants 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.
Eligibility
To be eligible, individuals 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.
Existing Mental Health Courts
News
- North Carolina Judicial Branch Launches Holistic Hope Mental Health Diversion Program - May 16, 2024
- Chief Justice Paul Newby Proclaims May 2024 as Treatment Court Month for the North Carolina Judicial Branch - May 1, 2024
- All Things Judicial Features an Interview with Guilford County Attorney G. Stevenson Crihfield - November 8, 2023
- North Carolina Collaboratory to Study N.C. Treatment Courts - November 2, 2023
- North Carolina State Leaders Hold Behavioral Health Roundtable - October 16, 2023
- All Things Judicial Focuses on Brunswick County Recovery Courts - August 2, 2023
- Chief Justice Paul Newby Proclaims May 2023 as Treatment Court Month for the North Carolina Judicial Branch - May 1, 2023
- National Association of Drug Court Professionals Selects North Carolina’s Recovery Courts to Build New Training Infrastructure - January 18, 2023