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This insightful guide by Christine O'Hanlon, a Marin County Public Defender, emphasizes the importance of declaring oneself as "the One" to establish and support a thriving Mental Health Court. Learn how starting backwards can move things forward and build a strong team for success. Discover stakeholder interests, shared goals, and an action plan to create an effective Mental Health Court. Whether you are a service provider, attorney, or community member, this resource will help you play a significant role in enhancing mental health court initiatives.
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EMPOWERING TEAMS TO CAUSE THRIVING MENTAL HEALTH COURTS By Christine O’Hanlon Marin County Public Defender
YOU’RE THE ONE! • Declare yourself “the One” means being the person who is willing to have a Mental Health Court. Being “the One” means giving up tolerating business as usual. • Being “the One” does not mean you are the Lone Ranger. • You can’t do it alone anyway because it takes your community to make a Mental Health Court.
STARTING BACKWARDS MOVES THINGS FORWARD! • Start at the end with the up and running Mental Health Court. • What roles do you need filled? • Judge • Service Providers-Case Managers • Coordinator • District Attorney • Defense Attorney • Probation Officer • Clients
Community Involvement • Whose approval do you need in your community government to establish a Mental Health Court? • Superior Court • Mental Health • District Attorney • Public Defender • Law Enforcement • Probation • Board of Supervisors/Mayor’s Office
COMMON INTERESTS EXERCISE • 1. Introduce yourself to three people, and ask each person what interest do they have in establishing a Mental Health Court?
STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS • Increases Court Efficiency • Increases Offender Accountability • Reduces Recidivism & Arrest • Offenders Receive Effective & Informed Court Services • Builds Partnerships Among Stakeholders • Clients Receive Increased Support in the Community
STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS • Reduces Jail Time • Demystifies Court • Encourages Independence • Support Getting Through Probation • Mental Health Expertise at Court’s Fingertips • Expedites Court Process • Better Outcome for Participants • Reduces Calls for Service from Law Enforcement
STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS • Improves Public Safety • Increases Awareness of Mental Illness • Increases Offender Cooperation with Law Enforcement • Continuity of Care • Increases Client Motivation • Increase Treatment Compliance • Can Assist with Dual Diagnosis Treatment
STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS • Increased Information Sharing • Expedites Investigations • Promotes Effective/Reasonable Probation Orders and Supervision • Increased Monitoring of High Risk Offenders • Reduces Criminalization of Mentally Ill • Reduces Cost of Incarcerations • Reduces Involuntary Hospitalization
SHARED INTERESTS & WIN/WIN • By focusing on shared interests and shared desired outcomes: • Moves project forward • Occurs like an opportunity for each stake holder. • Creates understanding of interests so each stake holder’s interested is addressed.
ACTION PLAN FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH COURT • Working Backwards Moves Mental Health Courts Forward! • Starting a MHC can take up to a year. Look at where you want to be in a year. • Start from April 1, 2007 when your MHC is up and running.
MENTAL HEALTH COURT ACTION PLAN • What needs to be accomplished between January 1, 2007-April 1, 2007. • Clients to be in the program • Government Approval • Superior Court Approval • MOU
Mental Health Court Action Plan Continued • What needs to be accomplished from October 1, 2006-January 1, 2007 • Presentation to Government Officials • Presentation to Superior Court • Presentation Prepared • Presentation Scheduled with Court &/or Government Officials
MENTAL HEALTH COURT ACTION PLAN CONTINUED • What needs to be accomplished between July 1, 2006-October 1, 2006? • Business Plan • Funding Requests • Grants
MENTAL HEALTH COURT ACTION PLAN • What needs to be accomplished between April 1, 2006-July 1, 2006? • Identifying Funding Sources • Divide up Responsibilities • Team Meetings on Design of MHC • Visiting other established MHC • Research on established MHC • Establish your MHC Team
CREATING A SUPER TEAMEXERCISE • Visualize your ideal state of the art Mental Health Court—your dream court. This is who makes up your MHC Team. • Make a list of names for your potential team members from each discipline. • Develop a list of leads or people you will have conversations with to be on the MHC Team. • Schedule times when you will actually have the conversations about MHC Team. • Have the conversations and invite potential members to join the MHC Team. • Schedule your first MHC Team Meeting!
GETTING TO YES IN THE FACE OF “NO!” • You may hear, “NO,” several times before you hear one, “Yes.” KEEP TALKING!
THE “NO” NONSENSE EXERCISE • Write down what it means to you when someone tells you “No” to a request you have made? • What do you think? • What do you say to yourself? • What do you do?
New Ways to Hear “No!” • What could you say to yourself instead when you get a “No”? • As a leader you don’t wait for everything to line up first before taking action. You take action and be “the One” who lines everything up!
CONTACT INFORMATION • Christine O’Hanlon • Marin County Public Defender • 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 139 • San Rafael, CA 94903 • (415)499-7501 • cohanlon@co.marin.ca.us