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The Legislature recognizes the critical need for judicial intervention to establish court processes and procedures that are more responsive to the needs of defendants with mental illnesses, while maintaining public safety and the integrity of the court process.
The goals of the mental health courts under this chapter include the following:
Reduce the number of future criminal justice contacts among offenders with mental illnesses;
Reduce the inappropriate institutionalization of people with mental illnesses;
Improve the mental health and well-being of defendants who come in contact with the criminal justice system;
Improve linkages between the criminal justice system and the mental health system;
Expedite case processing;
Protect public safety;
Establish linkages with other state and local agencies and programs that target people with mental illnesses in order to maximize the delivery of services; and
To use corrections resources more effectively by redirecting prison-bound offenders whose criminal conduct is driven in part by mental illnesses to intensive supervision and clinical treatment available in the mental health court.