Is a Mental Health Court, the same thing as a Drug Court?
No. While they both share similarities in the fact that they both adhere to the a problem-solving courts model, the emphasis in mental health court is mental wellness, while in drug court the emphasis is on substance abuse.
What is the process to get a Mental Health Court started in my jurisdiction?
The Application and Plan for Proposed Problem-Solving Court is to provide a formal process for planning problem-solving courts to become operational and be recognized by the Supreme Court of Maryland as such. Applicants are expected to provide a completed application and any supporting materials that would provide the most accurate detail of the proposed problem-solving court. The contents of any Application to be submitted must comply with Maryland Rule 16-207 and Chief Judge Bell’s Administrative order dated June 17, 2010.
The approval of this application by the Supreme Court of Maryland does not imply any financial support for the operational problem-solving court. Requests for funding or other resources should not be included in this application. http://mdcourts.gov/opsc/programapplicationdocuments.html