Focused on the growing mental and behavioral health crisis sweeping Pennsylvania and the nation, Justice Kevin M. Dougherty announced a series of regional summits aimed at addressing issues within the court system.
“Courts across Pennsylvania are seeing the growing impact of mental and behavioral health issues on the individuals who appear before us,” said Dougherty. “One of the biggest challenges we face in addressing behavioral health issues is breaking down silos that prevent people from getting care and support they need”.
“Effective and holistic problem solving cannot be done alone, and collaboration is essential to improve access to care and quality of life for Pennsylvanians affected by serious mental illness and other behavioral health concerns. These regional summits will give us a chance to come
together as partners to ensure our responses are more informed, compassionate and effective.”
“In the end, all of Pennsylvania will benefit and our communities will be stronger.”
Spearheaded by Dougherty, these events are part of the Court’s Behavioral Health in the Courts initiative and are designed to strengthen partnerships between the judiciary, system partners, behavioral health providers and community stakeholders to improve outcomes for individuals with mental and behavioral health challenges who come into contact with the justice system, a spokesperson said.
The summits will bring together judges, court staff, behavioral health professionals, county officials, law enforcement and others working at the intersection of justice and behavioral health. The goal is to share best practices, address challenges, and continue building a coordinated
approach that prioritizes treatment and support over unnecessary court involvement and incarceration, according to officials
The Behavioral Health in the Courts initiative supports court-led strategies to better connect individuals with services and reduce the cycle of crisis, arrest and recidivism. The regional summits will focus on practical strategies for collaboration, diversion programs, crisis response,
and access to person-centered care, officials said in a recent press release.
Summits are scheduled for:
Union County Government Building – Oct. 20
Whispering Hollow Estates – Oct. 21
Allegheny County Courthouse – Oct. 22
Lehigh County Government Center – Nov. 13
Luzerne County Operations Building – Dec. 1
Struthers Library Theatre – Dec. 3
More information about the summits and the Behavioral Health in the Court initiative is available through the Pennsylvania Courts website and social media (FaceBook, X, Instagram)
The first summit in the series was held in Chester County at Government Services Building in the middle of last month.
The closest meeting to Bucks County of the assembly is scheduled for November 13 at the Lehigh County Government Center located at 17 S 7th St, Allentown, PA 18101