ADVOCATES for Grafton County Mental Health Court
Supporting the Courts in
Haverhill
Lebanon
Littleton
Plymouth
Newsletter
What are mental health courts and why they are important
Mental health courts are innovative programs that bring together mental health and criminal justice agencies to address the unique needs of persons with serious mental illness who commit criminal offenses.
The goals are to:
attain an improved quality of life for the individual
eliminate incarceration
reduce recidivism
increase public safety
better utilize criminal justice resources
Those who participate in mental health court receive needed and appropriate treatment in the community, while being held responsible for their crimes.
The sentence addresses the root causation underlying a person’s behavior, namely mental illness.
Mental health courts are achieving these goals.
“Mental illnesses are treatable disorders of the brain. Left untreated, they are among the most disabling and destructive illnesses”
Grafton County Mental Health Court is changing lives
Linda was in court for passing bad checks. She was also homeless, jobless and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Linda needed help, not a jail sentence.
She appeared in District Court and was referred to a Mental Health Court program for evaluation. Instead of jail, Linda was granted a twelve month contract.
She agreed to a treatment plan, worked with a psychiatrist, therapist and case manager and agreed to take her prescribed medications.
Linda returned to court each month to communicate her progress to the judge. If she did not comply with her treatment plan she would go to jail.
She began to live a healthy lifestyle that continues to this day.
Why the Grafton County Mental Health Court needs your support
Grafton County funds a full-time Mental Health Court Coordinator and contributes to the cost of case management provided by local community mental health centers.
But there are additional needs that arise to enhance the overall success of our mental health court participants.
Here are some ways you can help:
Provide funding to support and encourage participants achieve behavioral change
Be an advocate for more mental health services in your community
Raise community awareness about mental illness
Support crisis intervention training for law enforcement
Together we can make a difference!
What the experts say…
Mental health courts are a growing national movement. There are an estimated 150 courts in the United States, including 10 in New Hampshire:
New Hampshire Judicial Branch: Drug and Mental Health Courts
“Mental health courts provide a cost effective, alternative rehabilitative sentencing option to courts and offer a higher probability of success than traditional sentencing options.”
“We can show that the investment into mental health courts not only saves lives, it saves taxpayer money.”
“Probably the most important goal of mental health courts is to initiate and solidify the connection between the defendant with mental illness and the mental health provider system.”
“When we work together to understand all aspects of a human challenge such as mental illness, we are much more likely to find a real solution.”
Mission of the Advocates
… to champion the success of Grafton County Mental Health Court participants and to support and promote the work of the judicial programs which provide an effective and meaningful alternative to the traditional criminal justice system for individuals with mental illness.
We need your help …
Funding for mental health court does not cover the incentives and financial assistance that are important for the success of our program participants. Your gift can help them achieve stability and become self-supporting, produc1ve and healthy members of their communities.
Advocates for Grafton County Mental Health Court, Inc is a 501(c) (3) not-for profit organization.
Federal Tax ID number: 46-3618416
To make a tax-deductible donation by credit card, please click:
Donations may also be mailed to:
ADVOCATES for GCMHC
PO Box 303
North Haverhill, NH 03774
For more information about the Advocates contact Donna Stamper at 603-863-2621.
For more information about NH Specialty Courts go to www.courts.state.nh.us/drugcourts/
For more information about Alternative Sentencing go to www.co.grafton.nh.us/alldepartments/alternative-sentencing/
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