Purpose
The purpose of the Reentry Independence Through Sustainable Efforts (RISE) Behavioral Health Court Program is to promote Reentry Independence through Sustainable Efforts that improve mental health and increase public safety. Such efforts support effective symptom management of serious mental illness, sobriety (for individuals with coexisting substance abuse/dependence), activities for daily living, and social/leisure activities for defendants and persons under supervision. In addition, participants are assisted with applications for all local, state, and federal benefits for which they quality (Medicaid, Social Security, housing, etc). The RISE Team operates with a non-adversarial philosophy, with the overall mental health and stability of the participant as well as public safety in mind. Incentives, rewards, and sanctions are used to support constructive behavior change.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates for the Behavioral Health Court Program may be identified at any phase of the pretrial or post conviction supervision process including defendants under conditional release. Individuals referred to the Behavioral Health Court Program need to be competent enough to participate in and understand the court process as well as meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
- An individual who has a documented Axis I diagnosis (as defined in the DSM-IV-TR)
- An individual who has a documented Axis I diagnosis (as defined in the DSM-IV-TR) and a documented co-occurring substance abuse diagnosis
- An individual who has a documented cognitive impairment, including a pervasive developmental disorder (Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, etc.), dementia, and/or traumatic brain injury (determined on a case by case basis by the screening committee)
Candidates meeting the above criteria may be referred to the Behavioral Health Court Program. Candidates are accepted by a consensus of all team members. Participation in the program is voluntary.
Referrals
Individuals who meet the above criteria and are interested in participating in the RISE Behavioral Health Court Program are encouraged to attend at least one court hearing to observe the process prior to the referral. If the defendant is in custody, the attorney will need to motion the court to have the individual transported. The representative from the authorized referring agency will complete the referral form. For questions about the referral process, please contact U.S. Probation Officer Meriska Holt at 801.535.2817.
Forms