Oregon: Stakeholders enter Memo of Understanding on Mental Health Court

Oregon:
During an administrative meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at the courthouse in Grants Pass, OR the Josephine County Board of Commissioners voted 2-0 to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among several agencies regarding the development and implementation of a mental health court.

There are several parties to the MOU, including Josephine County Circuit Court, district attorney’s office, sheriff’s office, Community Corrections Dept., Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety, Josephine County Public Defenders, Josephine County Defense Lawyers Inc., Options for Southern Oregon, the regional branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Union Drop-in Center, Senior and Disabled Services Division, Mid-Rogue Independent Physicians Association, Oregon Health Management Services, Choices Counseling Center and Women’s Crisis Support Team.

The entities signed on to the MOU have agreed to participate in the court’s Planning Oversight Committee, and share responsibility for its design and forming its implementation plan. Also, to determine how to use current resources for implementation, fund and sustain the program, share information about the needs, barriers and utilization of services, identify existing services which may need enhancement to support the court and identify gaps in services that need to be addressed.

Rest of article: http://www.illinois-valley-news.com/archive/2009/03/18/story-bcc_catchal...