Back to News
11/16/2007
Florida Supreme Court Report: Transforming Florida's Mental Health System
On November 15, 2007, the Florida Supreme Court issued a 170-page report entitled "Transforming Florida's Mental Health System: Constructing a Comprehensive and Competent Criminal Justice/Mental Health/Substance Abuse Treatment System" (see attached links to executive summary and full report). The report finds that the needs of persons in the justice system who have mental disorders are not currently met by Florida's social services systems, courts, jails and prisons.
Four members of Mental Health Law and Policy (Robert Constantine, Mark Engelhardt, John Petrila, Jim Winarski) have participated in ongoing Subcommittee meetings this past year. Each of these individuals participated in yesterday’s summit, in addition to FMHI’s Dean, Junius Gonzales. Robert Constantine and John Petrila presented findings from separate Subcommittee workgroups at the summit. Governor Charlie Crist joined Chief Justice R. Fred Lewis and other officials at the summit in releasing a 170-page report that was prepared by the Subcommittee. Florida’s Subcommittee activities have been funded in part by the Council of State Government’s Justice Center in New York. Florida was one of only seven states selected to receive a grant by the Justice Center to help address the national crisis in managing offenders who have mental disorders.
Links to Reports
Executive Summary of Supreme Court Report 2007 (pdf)