When people were released from state institutions, they were basically put out on the street without an adequate support system. Now instead of being in hospitals, they're in prison. In most cases, they're arrested for minor offenses related to their illness, such as urinating on the sidewalk, walking into a restaurant naked or general disorderly conduct, Brawley said. The Broward County Mental Health Court only accepts those accused of misdemeanor crimes. Those who want to participate volunteer at pretrial hearings.
Participation allows the offender, basically, to trade jail time for treatment.
The court tracks each offender, meeting monthly with the offender, their counselors and family members. It's too soon to tell how successful the court is, but Brawley said he's confident it's working. A similar court is in the works in York City, but organizers said it's too soon to release any details. Stavis said mental health courts are better than nothing, but they area small effort in the face of a big problem. Recognition that mental illness is a treatable disease and more federal funding for treatment also are needed, he said.