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Official: When it comes to Mental Health Court participants are important number

The Jonesboro Sun - 6/27/2017

JONESBORO - The habitual drug offender, the homeless man on the street and the person that can't seem to stay out of trouble are probably dealing are dealing with mental health issues.

"Jails have become the new asylums," Mental Health Coordinator Shadun Duncan said. "You will see the people going through the cycle of jail again and again not because they want too, but because they need mental help."

Over the past few years, mental health awareness has risen to the forefront of public consciousness and Craighead County has been ahead of the curb. The county developed a mental health court in coordination with the 2nd Judicial District and Mid-South Health Systems, which helps individuals stay out of jail by offering mental health and substance abuse treatment.

According to a previous report in The Sun, from 2011 to 2014 Craighead County's mental health court had served 58 participants. Five participants voluntarily dropped from the program, and 17 were terminated for things such as repeat violations. The program had 18 graduates in 2014 with eight active participants.

Since then, the number of participants hasn't changed very much, but the number of active participants has increased, but the number of graduates decreased.

According Mid-South Health System records, Duncan said since 2015 there have been 52 mental health program participants in total.

Ten participants have successfully completed the program and Duncan said there are 20 active participants in Craighead County. The number of voluntarily drops and terminations was unavailable at the time of the article.

Duncan said the number of active participants is the number to look, at not the number of graduates or drop-outs.

"We aren't looking at raw numbers," Duncan said. "We are looking at recidivism, engagement in training, the homeless being housed and the mentally ill being let out of the system."

Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd agreed.

"If the program touches just a few people and turns their lives around, then it's worth it," Boyd said.

Before Mental Health Court everyone was treated while in the system and the results created a loop in the system.

"They would be fined, ordered to pay costs and depending on the amount they would be incarcerated," Boyd said. "They would get treated while in the jail but once they were through the system we lost contact with them until they re-violated."

Boyd said since the Mental Health Court program was created the difference has been drastic.

"I have seen several people go through the program and receive mentors, group training and have seen them get the proper treatment," Boyd said. "Essentially they are diagnosed properly."

Arkansas struggled for many years with their treatment of mentally ill, but things are starting to change.

"There was a time where we went backwards with mental health," Boyd said "This year we were able to pass Act 423 that allows us to establish some of the crisis intervention system. We are definitely more aware of the mental health issue across the state."

Craighead County is ahead of the pack when it comes to mental health by already having a Mental Health Court program established.

"The court is going to be a partner with the system," Boyd said. "They will be working hand and hand."

The program is extensive and provides key treatment for people looking to get a hold of their lives.

"The average time for someone to graduate is 583 days," Duncan said.

During that time, a participant will have to deal with weekly status checks, curfew, check-ins, 12-step groups and individual therapy.

"We give a lot treatment to individuals," Duncan said. "The treatment plan is created for each individual. The amount of social activity, education and things like that are determined by the patient."

The main diagnosis the court sees is schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression and depressive disorder.

"We also see a lot of substance abuse," Duncan said. "A lot of mental health issues lead to substance abuse if they are not treated."