The mission of the Mental Health and Veterans Court Program (MHVC) is to serve the community and increase public safety by monitoring, supporting, and holding accountable justice-involved individuals with trauma or mental illness and to assist them in accessing treatment and improving their quality of life. MHVC provides structure, support, and accountability as an alternative to incarceration.
Mental Health and Veterans Court Program (MHVC)
Judge Richard Strophy, a key player in establishing the original Drug Court, with Judge Brett Buckley who now oversees the Mental Health and Veteran’s court.
Program Capacity: 60 Participants
Veteran’s Court – Wednesdays at 10:30 am (at District Court)
Mental Health Court – Thursdays at 10:00 am, and 2nd & 4th Tuesday at 4:00 pm (at District Court)
Based on the Drug Court model and developed in response to the national overrepresentation of criminal justice-involved people with mental illness, Thurston County Mental Health Court was launched in 2005. The program diverts eligible participants into intensive, judicially supervised, community-based treatment.
As treatment courts around the country observed rising numbers of veterans in their programs, Thurston County sought to address the unique needs of our servicemen and women. In 2009, Veterans Court was implemented as a “branch” of Mental Health Court, with the same intensive supervision and program requirements, in addition to specific supplemental community support to include veteran-specific services at the federal, state, and local level.
Proceedings may be viewed through the Thurston County District Court YouTube channel here.
Mental Health/Veterans Court -Program Manager: Alexandria Davidson (360) 867-2034, alexandria.davidson@co.thurston.wa.us
Veterans Court graduate, Garret Jones, pictured with his family. Read his story.
How does the Strophy Foundation help?
The Strophy Foundation helps participants of MHVC by providing assistance with required behavioral treatment costs that are not covered by any form of insurance, such as domestic violence treatment, which is required in approximately half of all program cases. The Foundation also supports family unification by funding supervised visitation between participants and their children.
During the pandemic and beyond, the Strophy Foundation provides equipment like smartphones to indigent defendants so they can participate in remote supervision and court hearings. Without this assistance, some participants would face insurmountable obstacles simply due to poverty and would be excluded from participating in a program that helps them to become stable, contributing members of our community.
Jessamyn’s Story
“I am so very grateful for all of the benefits that Mental Health court has afforded me in just a short time. I have been able to show my commitment to sobriety through urinary analysis testing, and the financial burden has been lifted, allowing me to use community service as a way to cover the cost. I have also been allowed to stay in the community and attend my regular AA meetings in person and over Zoom, while keeping in contact with my sponsor daily. This would not be possible if I were sitting in jail. Being a part of Mental Health Court has helped keep my recovery and mental health first.
There is a huge part of my recovery and mental health well-being that I need help with and that’s unification with my daughters. I speak with them and see them through FaceTime, but currently, I am required by Family Court to have supervised visitations. These visitations cost $70 per visit and I am allowed two visits a week. Currently, that amount of money puts me in a difficult position on whether I can see my girls or not. I do not have an income that can support my basic needs and allow me to see my daughters.
The bond between a mother and her children is hard to put into words. The love is even harder to explain. Not being able to see my daughters has impacted my mental health negatively although I do work every day with the hope that I will be reunited with them and will be able to see them on a consistent basis.”
As of August of 2021, Strophy Foundation funds cover 100% of Jessamyn’s supervised visitations with her daughters, as she works toward reunification.
The purpose of the MHVC program is to:
Reduce barriers to mental health treatment for justice-involved individuals
Heal and reunite families
Reduce the frequency of contacts with law enforcement and emergency services
Reduce costs associated with increased utilization of court services and jail overcrowding
Improve coordination between the mental health and criminal justice systems
Reduce criminal activity within the community
MHVC requires the following from participants:
Engage in mental health treatment and medication adherence when appropriate, as well as other appropriate treatments
Maintain sobriety
Refrain from criminal behavior and engage in frequent supervision
The program provides participants with the resources needed to address barriers to employment, housing, education, insurance, and medical care, and encourages the improvement of pro-social engagement and other life skills necessary to promote a life of recovery.
Veterans Court serves veterans or active duty military personnel who have served in any of the United States Armed Services, regardless of character or discharge.
We work closely with Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Puget Sound, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, Thurston County Veterans Services, and the Lacey Veterans Services Hub to provide wrap-around services to individuals who have developed mental health and substance use issues as a result of their military service.
