Written by WVUA 23 News Reporter Jaylen Barron
Mental health advocacy is at the forefront in Alabama, and on Thursday, the city of Tuscaloosa received funding to continue the effort.
U.S. Rep. Terry Sewell handed Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and the Tuscaloosa City Council a check for approximately $260,000 to implement a Mental Health Initiative Court in the city.
“I think we’ve made a lot of progress by working with our state partners and our federal partners,” Maddox said. “I think this is another step in the right direction. When we deal with people who have acute mental health concerns, what we want to make sure is that we are not putting them in a prison environment, but rather treating them. It’s about putting them in an environment where they can succeed.”
Local first responders are now better able to respond to adults in need of mental health services, with the hope of reducing the likelihood of involvement in the criminal justice system.
“Many calls for help from first responders turn out to be mental health crises,” Sewell said. “Prisons can’t be places where people get comprehensive services. We need to provide that on the front end if we can, so this mental health court will be one of the first of its kind here in the state of Alabama. , I can’t think of a better place to put it than in Tuscaloosa.”
Approximately 30% of inmates at the Tuscaloosa County Jail enter the jail with prescriptions for psychiatric drugs, according to the city.
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