Fayette Mental Health Court officials speak on program for World Mental Health Day

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Under the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Lexington, known as “NAMI”, the Fayette Mental Health Court aims to protect public safety and help non violent offenders with diagnosed mental illness get better.
The Fayette Mental Health Court was started back in 2014.

“It became very obvious that the community needed to join forces and so that grew into a decriminalization committee, which brought together stake holders in the community with finances and resources and a passion to make a change, and stop the criminalization of mental illness. To take a look at is that how we are responding to folks in a symptom burden crisis?” aid Fayette Mental Health Court Coordinator, Jennifer Van Ort-Hazzard.

In order for someone to become eligible to participate, a judge must decide if the program is an option for that person based on their legal case and the nature of the crime.

If the person is allowed admission, the program has four phases: stabilization, treatment, self motivation and wellness.

Van Ort-Hazzard says it can change life trajectories for those facing legal troubles, with opportunities to have charges expunged or dismissed.

“That’s huge, whether you’re 19 or 35. And, we’ve had everybody from freshly turned 18-year-old up to 62 was our oldest participant and that’s a lot of years of life that you’re looking to have another chance at” said Van Ort-Hazzard.

And while the mental health court itself works primarily with people facing legal issues, Van Ort Hazzard says NAMI Lexington, and Mental Health America are great resources for anyone suffering from symptoms.

She says it’s important to break those stigmas surrounding mental health, and October 10th, World Mental Health Day is the perfect time to get the conversation started.

“The invisibility of a mental illness makes it easy to hide and that lets it just get worse and worse you know if you had a physical wound and you just ignored It, it’s going to get worse and worse and likewise with mental health symptoms”.

The Fayette Mental Health Court is also the only mental health court in Central Kentucky,