Pennsylvania state court officials are reporting that 72% of all discharged participants graduated successfully in 2024 from treatment programs administered by mental health courts at the county level.
The statistics, released by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, also show there was a 112% increase in employment among those graduates.
Mental health courts link key justice system officials with leaders in the mental health system to divert offenders with severe mental illness into a judicially supervised program. (Courtesy of Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts)
Mental health courts link key justice system officials with leaders in the mental health system to divert offenders with severe mental illness into a judicially supervised program.
These courts provide a team of court staff and mental health professionals that work together to screen and assess defendants, develop treatment plans and supervise offenders.
Mental health courts offer defendants the opportunity to avoid incarceration by completing a rigorous program that requires compliance with community supervision and mandated treatment.
There are 30 counties — including four in the southeast region — with mental health courts.
Here are some of the statistics for those regional programs:
• Berks County: 14 admitted; average age, 41; 10 discharges; 5 successfully completed (50% of all discharges graduated successfully).
• Chester County: 32 admitted; average age, 36; 25 discharges; 19 successfully completed (76%).
• Delaware County: 16 admitted; average age, 37; 8 discharges; 7 successfully completed (88%).
• Montgomery County: 16 admitted; average age, 38; 17 discharges (includes one from a previous year); 12 successfully completed (71%).