Connecticut has launched a pilot behavioral health court, focusing on treatment over incarceration.

A multidisciplinary task force aids in refining Connecticut's mental health court eligibility and services.

Early intervention in youth mental health can reduce arrests and improve outcomes.

This summer, Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Raheem Mullins announced the state was piloting a specialized behavioral health court. Based in New Haven, it is intended to divert eligible individuals away from incarceration and into treatment under judicial supervision.

This work has the potential to provide critical assistance to thousands of individuals with mental health and substance use issues, all of whom are significantly overrepresented in the criminal justice system—our largest provider of mental health services. Fortunately, there are models throughout the country that have the ability to inform the direction of the program.

Existing Models of Behavioral Health Courts

In New York, where I practice as a family-focused mental health attorney, behavioral courts operate........

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