With the support of a seed grant from the Fund, Eliza Fawcett explored the obscure world of New York’s mental health courts, which aim to divert people with serious mental illness from jail and into treatment. More than 40 mental health courts have emerged across New York State since the early 2000s, and the state court system is focused on their rapid expansion. But Fawcett’s reporting – which included novel participation data obtained through a FOIL request – showed that the impact of these courts remains modest, and they reach only a fraction of the people they’re designed to serve. Fawcett found that people with serious mental illness often wait in jail for more than a year before receiving the chance to access treatment, housing and other services.
Grantee examines why mental-health courts in NY are reaching just a fraction of people who need them
