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Mental health, justice system discussed

Grand Haven Tribune - 9/27/2016

Sept. 27--More than 50 community members gained insight Monday night into the intersection between mental health and the justice system.

During a town hall-style meeting at the Grand Haven Community Center, a panel of speakers who have experience in the justice system shared their experiences and challenges to addressing mental health. It was the third such meeting in an ongoing community effort to identify and address gaps surrounding mental health.

Candidates running in the November general election also provided their stances on mental health.

Judge Bradley Knoll has spent the past two years overseeing Ottawa County's Mental Health Court and several years before that in Sobriety Court. In his experience, Knoll said people who have a mental illness are typically low-level crime offenders, who in most cases are people who stopped going to therapy or stopped taking their medications.

Through Mental Health Court, the goal is to help bring stability to a person's life and help them ultimately become productive members of society, he said. Knoll said they look into each person's housing situation, co-dependency issues and medications prescribed, and his job is to listen and provide motivation for making progress on their journey.

For several years, Judge Ladas Hoopes has been part of Mental Health Court in Muskegon County. She started in the specialized court after seeing a probationer experience a mental health crisis during a scheduled court appointment. Slowly, Hoopes started filling her docket to help people with mental illnesses go through the court system in a different way.

Hoopes said she loves mental health court because she gets to see the transformation of people as they go through counseling get on medications. One of the challenges they face is selecting individuals to participate in the court because there are individuals who have a mental illness and individuals who are cross-addicted. Hoopes said the latter cases are taking up spots instead of people who have a mental illness.

For 11 years, Kelly Boeve has worked in the court system to help with crisis intervention in jails and redirecting people with mental illnesses out of jail if psychiatric beds are available. She has worked for the past two years with mental health court, which has given her a chance to build relationships and be part of influencing people.

"We get to make changes in their lives," Boeve said.

Although there are gaps in the system, Boeve said, they are working to address them to make positive changes.

When the state closed mental treatment institutions, prison rates started to climb, said Doug Tjapkes of Humanity for Prisoners. Despite some statistics showing lower numbers, Tjapkes said he believes that 50 percent of prisoners have some form of mental illness.

Tjapkes shared a story about a woman who has a mental illness and is currently incarcerated. She continues having challenges with listening and following rules. As a result, she's unable to be released, Tjapkes said.

If prisoners can't be released to get the help they need, Tjapkes said prison employees need to be properly trained to handle prisoners with mental illnesses.

Juvenile Justice Vision 20/20 President Sandi Metcalf said children are being criminalized. She said the grassroots organization is working to help stabilize families, and services for families also needs to be expanded.

What's being done to address mental health?

As an outcome of previous town hall meetings, a task force formed and continually meets to address the concerns previously expressed. The group looks at clinical, schools and the justice system.

Previously, community members discussed wanting to see a safe teen center, mental health training, funding, counselors in schools, psychiatry, non-pharmaceutical options and more.

The North Ottawa Community Health System is working with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services about expanding psychiatric care, said Barbara Lee Van Horseen, executive director of Extended Grace.

Grand Haven and Spring Lake schools staff members have been trained in Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR).

Ottawa County Community Mental Health is increasing staff members in the county jail and the millage approved earlier this year will also help provide funding for additional training.

Extended Grace and Community Mental Health are partnering for a safe space within the community called Momentum Center for Society and Engagement.

There's also an effort underway to have a peer-run drop-in center for adults with mental illnesses.

Monday's event was sponsored by the City of Grand Haven, Grand Haven Area Public Schools, North Ottawa Community Health System and Ottawa County.

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(c)2016 the Grand Haven Tribune (Grand Haven, Mich.)

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