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Arizona Superior Court in Pima County
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Role of Participants

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THE ROLE OF MENTAL HEALTH COURT PARTICIPANTS

To actively participate in the selection of defendants enrolled in mental health court.

To review and address the defendant’s participation in mental health court assignments and expectations during their scheduled court appearances.

To reinforce and acknowledge positive progress and good decision making in defendant’s actions.

To make corrective assignments that address defendant choices that do not support positive outcomes.

To maintain clear avenues of communication for attorneys, behavioral health professionals and law enforcement to utilize mental health court for the benefit of defendants and the community.

To monitor, measure and process outcomes related to mental health court operations.

To act as the mental health consultant for the presiding Judge of mental health court.

To represent Superior Court and Mental Health Court in various agency collaborations that promote increased awareness of the challenges faced by the mentally ill in the criminal justice system.

If you and your client determine that the case would benefit from Mental Health Court, request that the case be transferred to Mental Health Court (see How to Apply for Defense Attorneys) 

Communicate as needed with the Mental Health Court Team, especially regarding treatment needs of your client.

Attend all post-sentencing compliance and disposition hearings, including the Mental Health Court team meeting and the hearings that follow.

Assist the Mental Health Court team in creating the best solution for the client, especially post-sentencing, in order to decrease the likelihood of revocation and recidivism.

Attend meetings and hearings for Mental Health Court.

Participate in compliance staffing, dispositional hearings and sentencing, providing input from the State's perspective to decrease recidivism and protect the community.

Assist with the identification of defendants who may be good candidates for Mental Health Court (determined to be Seriously Mentally Ill, eligible charges, etc).

Monitor their treatment, medications, etc. with their case manager and while incarcerated in the Pima County Adult Detention Center.

Report compliance to the Mental Health Court through the submission of compliance tracking forms for every compliance, sentencing, and disposition hearing.

Attend compliance meetings for all clients.

Attend other hearings for clients as needed. The provider should attend all hearings relating to the client's release conditions.

Works with the behavioral health provider to discuss treatment, confer regarding needs of the defendant, and coordinate terms of probation and the treatment plan.

Submits compliance tracking forms for each defendant for all compliance hearings.

Prepares petitions to revoke as needed and dispositional reports on defendants found in violation of probation.

Attends staffing for sentencings (if assigned), compliance, and disposition hearings.

Ensures that the defendant is receiving appropriate psychiatric medications consistent with those prescribed for the defendant in the community and in keeping with jail policies and medical practice.

Ensures that all inmates receive a mental health evaluation upon admission to the jail and other mental health evaluations as needed.

Provides weekly information to the Court regarding Mental Health Court defendants who are set for a hearing to include medications prescribed (and compliance with same) as well as and any behavioral issues noted.

Attend staffing for sentencings, disposition and compliance hearings for incarcerated defendants to provide input.

Meets weekly with behavior health providers regarding incarcerated defendants enrolled with the providers.

Renee L. K. Hampson (Div. LF)

Judge Pro Tem

(520) 724-3001

QUICK LINKS
List of Certified Forensic Evaluators