The Muscogee County Mental Health Court is a multi-agency post adjudication program involving the coordinated efforts of the Mental Health Court Judge, District Attorney's Office, Public Defender, Department of Community Supervision, New Horizons Behavioral Health and other local treatment providers.

The Mental Health Court Program is a voluntary program for persons 18 years of age or older who are charged with one or more felony crimes.

Mission

The mission of the Muscogee County Mental Health Court (MHC) is to provide a judicially supervised alternative to the traditional criminal justice system, whereby aiming to mitigate and reduce recidivism, promote public safety, and improve the lives of offenders who suffer from mental health, and/or substance abuse issues; to guide at risk individuals to become healthy and law-abiding citizens by connecting them to appropriate community-based resources for treatment, recovery, and lifelong stability.

Program

The Mental Health Court is a five-phase program lasting a minimum of 18 months. Each participant's program is based on an individual evaluation completed by a licensed clinician working with the court.

Court Schedule

Mental Health Court sessions occur bi-weekly on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Muscogee County Government Center. Occasionally, with prior notice, court may be rescheduled for another day.

Referral

Anyone can make a referral to the program. This includes the prosecution, the defense, law enforcement, the court or any interested party including the potential participant.

Clincal and Legal Screening

Legal eligibility refers to the Prosecution’s determination of the appropriateness and level of fit regarding a candidate’s admission to the program based on the candidate’s current charges, criminal history, residence, and other issues relevant to the determination.

Individuals with criminal cases pending in Muscogee County Superior Court are eligible for screening, including those who are currently incarcerated, on bond, on probation, or parole.

If the person is eligible following the legal screening, a clinical assessment will be conducted by the treatment partner to determine clinical eligibility for the program. Individuals who are “actively or acutely psychotic” or are diagnosed with/believed to have a severe and persistent mental illness are clinically eligible to participate. Other individuals may be assessed on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Mental Health Court team.

Courtroom Protocol

All participants will sit in the open courtroom. The Coordinator announces each case, and participants meet with the Judge for a period of approximately 3-5 minutes to discuss progress or lack of progress in the program.

The Drug Court lab is located on the Ground Floor of the of the Consolidated Government Center tower.