Celebrating 1,000 Graduates
Today, the Brooklyn Mental Health Court celebrated an important milestone: the successful graduation of its 1,000th participant.
The first of its kind in New York, Brooklyn Mental Health Court provides community-based treatment in lieu of incarceration to people with serious and persistent mental illness. An independent evaluation by the Urban Institute found that participants in the Brooklyn Mental Health Court were 46 percent less likely to recidivate.
“We have shown that treatment alternatives work and that individuals caught up in the criminal justice system can avoid jail, receive healing treatment in the community, and still be held accountable,” said Matthew D’Emic, the court’s presiding judge.
“Before I came to Mental Health Court, my life was pretty much in shambles. When I graduated, my life was coming together and my kids are watching me make big strides toward my goals,” said Catrice, a graduate of the mental health court.
To support our work improving lives and reducing the use of unnecessary incarceration, please donate today.
News & Updates
- Director Greg Berman announces plans to step down
- Listen to our latest podcast episode, 'Ending Bail, Closing Rikers: How Change Happens'
- Read our first-of-its-kind national survey on how courts are using community service