Chief Superior Court Judge Kristina Graham

The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Mental Health Court is a voluntary post-adjudication/revocation program that accepts willing participants who wish to address the mental health issues which have brought them into contact with the justice system.  The program lasts a minimum of 18 months.  As part of the program, participants are given the opportunity to learn to be responsible for their own mental health needs and their own actions.  This is done through medication management, group and individual evidence-based treatment, drug and alcohol monitoring, and intensive case management.  LMJC MHC is very much driven by the need to address each Participant’s needs on an individual basis, requiring very thoughtful, deliberate and detailed case management and treatment goals.

The target population is felony offenders that are in the judicial system due to being charged with offenses that are most likely a result of their mental illness.  Participants are accepted either 1) as a part of the sentencing of a new offense or 2) as part of probation revocation proceedings.

Step 1: Do you meet legal eligibility requirements?

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must be facing felony charges which can result in at least 24 months of incarceration or must be facing probation revocation in which the balance of the sentence is at least 24 months.
• Must be a resident of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, or Walker County.
• Must have been on probation at least once (previously or currently).
• Must not be a registered sex offender in any jurisdiction.
• Must be charged with or convicted of a crime in Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, or Walker County in which there is a reasonable likelihood that, but for the defendant’s mental illness, the crime would not likely have been committed.
• Must not be charged with or have been previously convicted of murder, armed robbery, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated child molestation, or child molestation.
• Must not be on parole.
• Must be mentally competent to voluntarily enter into the program.

Step 2: If you meet the minimum requirements for Mental Health Court, you may be assessed to determine if you meet clinical eligibility requirements:

• Must have a documented or documentable primary diagnosis ofSevere and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) – Defined as having, at any time during the past year, a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that causes serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, psychotic disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mental disorders that cause serious impairment, such as PTSD. SPMI includes mental illnesses with complex symptoms that require ongoing treatment and management. SPMI is distinguished by severity of symptoms that include, but are not limited to:
  a. High use of acute psychiatric hospitals or crisis/emergency services including mobile, in-clinic or crisis residential (e.g., three or more admissions per year) or extended hospital stay (60 days within the past year) or psychiatric emergency services.
  b. Persistent, recurrent, severe or major symptoms that place the individual at risk of harm to self or others (e.g. command hallucinations, suicidal ideation or gestures, homicidal ideation or gestures, self-harm).
  c. Coexisting substance use disorder of significant duration (e.g., greater than 6 months) or co-diagnosis of substance abuse
  d. High risk for or a recent history of criminal activity due to mental illness (e.g., arrest and incarceration).
  e. Chronically homeless (e.g., one extended episode of homelessness for a year or four episodes of homelessness within three years).
  f. Functional impairments such as hygiene, employment, and ability to maintain a safe, stable living environment.
  g. Non-compliance with medication therapy, treatment, and supervision requirements.
• Must be determined by risk/needs assessment to be a moderate to high risk offender.
• May have co-occurring disorder.
• Cases involving diagnoses including developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and all forms of dementia are generally excluded.  However, if there appears to be a reasonable likelihood that the Participant will understand the responsibilities of participation in the program and will realize a benefit from the program, then their admission may be considered by the Team.
• A learning disability does not qualify as mental illness.

Step 3: The Mental Health Court team will determine whether to accept you into the program or not.

Among the things to be considered by the Team are whether you are an appropriate fit for the program and will benefit from the program, whether the program is an appropriate fit for you, and whether the program has the resources available to address any known issues that you may have.

Referral Packet – must be completed in its entirety and e-mailed to LookoutmountainMHC@gmail.com in order to be considered for Mental Health Court

Catoosa Medical Record Request

Exhibit 6 – MHC Behavior Contract – must be completed after a person has been accepted into Mental Health Court but prior to being sentenced to Mental Health Court.

Contact: Connie Bradshaw – Mental Health Court Coordinator – LookoutMountainMHC@gmail.com                                                

Phone Number – (678) 986-0118