Tuscaloosa’s mental health court is getting a boost from the U.S. Department of Justice, thanks to Rep. Terry Sewell (D-7th).
The congressman, who has represented parts of West Alabama since 2011, presented the city of Tuscaloosa with a check for $259,810 at a City Council meeting Thursday afternoon.
On hand to receive the check were Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, several Tuscaloosa City Council members, and representatives from the courthouse and the Tuscaloosa Police Department.
The Tuscaloosa Mental Health Court was established with the purpose of reducing the need for interaction between individuals with mental illness and law enforcement officers through treatment and intervention. Federal funds will support further development of the court’s mission.
TPD records show hundreds of interactions between law enforcement officers occur each year. At the start of the 2021 tribunal, Mayor Maddox wrote a memorandum outlining the tribunal’s mission, stating: Mr. Maddox stated in his memo: “But improving relationships with police officers is just the first step. Our local courts will continue to support and provide resources to people whose mental illness brings them into contact with the criminal justice system.” We have to have the ability to do it,” and the treatment they need. ”
“Judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys are facing an increasing number of defendants charged with low-level crimes while suffering from severe, untreated mental illness,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “Traditional court processes do little to improve outcomes for many of these people.” ”Therefore, there is a need for specialized mental health courts that depart from traditional criminal procedures to treat defendants’ mental health rather than simply incarcerating them.
