Welcome to Mental Health Court

About Us

The 19th Judicial District was formed by the Mental Health Treatment Act of 2022 and created and funded by T.C.A. §16-19-101.

This project is funded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

MHC is a cross collaboration of mental health and criminal justice systems intended to link those with severe and persistent mental illness that have cycled through the criminal justice system with a viable treatment alternative in order to appropriately confront the correlation between mental illness and the criminal justice system.

Our Services

Specialized treatment and care is at the root of the Mental Health Court. Acceptance to the program is based on a referral and assessment system.

The intent of MHC is to: 

• To create programs to facilitate the implementation of new, and the continuation of existing, mental health treatment court programs in all counties in this state.
• Goals of the mental health treatment court programs created under this chapter include:
• Reducing use of jail and prison beds and other correctional services by offenders with mental health disorders by diverting them into treatment programs.
• To improve court efficiency by substituting a problem-solving model for traditional criminal court processing and linking defendants to effective treatment and support.
• To improve the quality of life of people with severe and persisting mental illnesses and increase their participation in effective treatment.
• To promote public safety by reducing the incidence of crimes committed as a result of mental health disorders, and
• To promote effective interaction and the use of resources among local criminal justice agencies and community agencies.

Mission Statement

The mission of the 19th Judicial District Mental Health Court is to assist those justice-involved clients who have been diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness and their families to become integral and productive members of the community through a collaborative effort, aiding their recovery while recognizing their value as an individual.

Resources

Meet Our Staff

Eligibility Requirements