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SALT LAKE CITY — Mental Health Court is somewhere mentally ill defendants can get therapy, medication, and the support they need to live productive lives. Two men who have both made great strides in the program shared their success with KSL News.
Recently, Steve Wimmer participated in graduation day — but not from school. Steve graduated from a program that has given him stability and a life of his own.
"I'm diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia," he said.
After a head injury as a teenager, Steve said he started exhibiting symptoms. He became increasingly paranoid, withdrew, and ended up living on the streets of Salt Lake City. He began to self-medicate with illegal drugs.
"When I got involved with drugs, heavy, that's when I was near death," he said.
Steve bounced around the legal system for years, until he landed in Judge Judith Atherton's courtroom. She's seen a remarkable change in Steve.
"I didn't think Steve would be able to do all that he's done, but he proved me wrong," Atherton said.
Steve is one of 150 participants in Mental Health Court. "I think it's one of the best things that the judicial system has come up with in a long, long time," Atherton said.
Mylo Mitchie is good looking, well spoken, and you would never know he suffers from schizoaffective disorder. He too is in Mental Health Court. If not on his medication, he hears voices and gets lost in delusions.
"I've finally found a regime of medication that actually helps me stay stable all the time, because of Mental Health Court," Mylo said.
Salt Lake County's Mental Health Court started 10 years ago. It's a unique approach to the justice system. The court staff work together to decide what is the best course of action for each defendant.
- Approximately 590 participants have entered MHC since 2001
- 279 participants have graduated
- 33 participants have participated in MHC more than once
- A second MHC was added in July of 2009, quickly expanding from 75 participants to 150
- 188 people participated in MHC in 2010
Since the court's inception, it's had almost 600 participants; and nearly 300 have graduated. But just because they might not have the certificate, doesn't mean the defendants aren't benefiting. Some are removed from the program because there may be a better solution for them.
In the past decade, 33 people have come through the program more than once.
"It's probably one of the most innovative treatments in the mental health business that has come about in the last several decades," said Dr. Allan Rice, with Valley Mental Health.
"Our goal is to wrap enough services around them to participate in Mental Health Court and treatment, (so) they'll have a safe place to live and have a sense that they have purpose," Rice said. With all of the stigmas attached to mental illness, here are a few statistics to consider. According to Valley Mental Health, one in four people will have a diagnosable mental health disorder in any given year; one in five will have a serious mental health issue.
Mylo knows there are stereotypes surrounding mental illness, and he hopes people will have more compassion and less judgment. "We're mentally ill, we're not stupid," he said.
If he stays on track, Mylo will graduate in 18 months.
Steve is now moving on to a new chapter in his life, and he says the future looks bright. "I'm looking forward to doing better," he said.
Email: jstagg@ksl.com
