Mental Health and Justice
We offer short-term support to those experiencing mental distress and struggling to stay out of the criminal justice system. Staff:
- accompany people to court
- connect them to shelters and safe beds
- offer basic items such as food and clothing
- get people new I.D., healthcare, income supports and legal help
- assist people with addictions using harm reduction methods or directing them to withdrawal management services
Mental Health Court Support Services
A mental health court worker, in collaboration with the accused, develop a diversion plan which includes appropriate services, such as psychiatric assessments, securing resources to meet basic needs and finding short or long-term community support. The plan is then presented to the Provincial Crown Attorney for approval.
According to a report from the Canadian Mental Health Association, many racialized people are not accessing Ontario’s mental health courts which divert them from having a criminal record. Listen to CBC Fresh Air, our senior manager of Mental Health and Addictions programs, Deqa Farah on CBC Fresh Air June 9, 2019. talks about mental health courts.