Kentucky Judicial Commission holds mental health forum

The Commission is holding their first series of town hall meetings throughout the Commonwealth.  Lexington is their fifth stop.

Lexington, Ky (WTVQ):  The Kentucky Judicial Commission held a town hall meeting Wednesday night to learn how to better help those dealing with mental health challenges, especially for those who have had to go to court for any kind of legal issue.

The Commission is holding their first series of town hall meetings throughout the Commonwealth.  Lexington is their fifth stop.

Debra Hembree Lambert, the Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Kentucky, says it’s difficult for many people to access appropriate care. “We’ve learned that there’s lot of concerns about student mental health,” she said. “We’ve learned that there’s a need for after care services when people leave jails or prisons.”

Approximately 100 people attended Wednesday night’s event. Some of the concerns voiced included, inadequate medication available, problem of people being taken to treatment in handcuffs, and mental health availability in schools’.

Kevin Haggerty knows first-hand the struggle of dealing with mental health. He says meetings like these, help get rid of the stigma. “I think people are looked at just like the homeless. people with a mental illness are looked at the same way,” he said. “It’s basically just part of our personality.”

Haggerty says even with a diagnosis, it’s not his entire personality. “My diagnosis is paranoid schizophrenia, but I am a father, an uncle, I have a job,” he said. “I have a family.”

The meeting also, addresses those dealing with substance abuse issues, and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities. You can call the suicide crisis number at 9-8-8, and the crisis text number is 7-4-1- 7-4-1