Etowah County representatives add input at mental health-substance abuse summit
A six-person team from Etowah County attended the Judicial, Mental Health and Partners Summit held Dec. 6-8 at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear.
The delegation was assembled at the request of Rich Hobson, director of the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, to each of Alabama’s presiding circuit judges.
The summit’s goal was the development of plans to address the needs of people involved in the criminal justice system who are suffering from mental health illnesses and substance use disorders.
State officials seeking the development of strategies for treatment and counseling to meet those needs want to create a network with individuals from each of Alabama’s counties who share a vision for changing lives. Hobson suggested including others whose involvement with the justice system place them in the forefront of the issues being addressed.
Attending the summit from Etowah County were:
• Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree: Ogletree regularly handles criminal, domestic and civil cases, and during his years on the bench has demonstrated a commitment to working with those facing addictions and co-occurring mental health issues. He currently presides over Etowah County’s Drug Court, where approved non-violent offenders facing drug charges are given the opportunity, by successfully completing a 12 to 16-month regimen that includes drug screens, counseling and court monitoring while maintaining gainful employment, for dismissal of those charges upon payment of all program costs. This allows them to avoid the legal stigma of a felony conviction on their records. Ogletree also was instrumental in establishing Etowah County’s Mental Health Court and Veterans Treatment Court diversion programs.
• Probate Judge Scott Hassell: Hassell, who holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, regularly handles guardianship and conservatorship proceedings for incapacitated people. He also presides over cases in which involuntary commitment of an individual is sought because of mental illness whereunder he is alleged to pose a risk of substantial harm to himself or others. He developed Alabama’s first long-term therapeutic community treatment program located in a local detention center, and more recently developed the Mobile Crisis Assistance Team that provides 24/7 emergency access to mental health services in Etowah County. The program then monitors those under commitment orders using the Assisted Outpatient Treatment model to ensure compliance with medical advice.
• Deputy District Attorney Brynn Crain: Designated by District Attorney Jody Willoughby to represent his office, Crain regularly represents the State of Alabama in prosecution of criminal cases, including those involving capital murder and a variety of other felonies. Many of the cases he handles involve drug and drug-related charges. Mr. Crain represents the State in Drug Court, in proceedings whereby defendants are evaluated on a case-by-case basis for suitability to participate in that program. He also is involved in ongoing court monitoring to determine whether participating offenders are compliant with its terms and conditions. If they are not, sanctions may be sought. If they persist in noncompliance, the State institutes proceedings in appropriate cases for their removal from the program.
• Terri L. Vosbury: Vosbury is director of the Etowah County Community Punishment and Corrections Authority, which supervises release on bond for many individuals awaiting trial, supervises many others allowed to serve their sentences through alternative (“community”) supervision and plays an integral role in the Drug Court program. She regularly coordinates both inpatient and outpatient treatment of individuals dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues.
• Emma Hazlewood Clapp: Clapp is the executive director of Family Success Center of Etowah County, a nonprofit organization that offers coordinated services to assist families and houses the Substance Abuse Council of Etowah County. It also offers free mental health counseling for individuals, couples, families, teensand children. It has experienced increased demand for these services in recent years, and hopes to be able to continue to offer them at no cost to those who seek them.
• Lana G. Bellew: Bellew’s educational background as a district administrator led to her being trained as a grant writer during her doctoral program. Over the last 21 years, she has written grants for school districts and nonprofit organizations to help fill funding gaps. Her current grant-writing focus arises from urgent requests for mental health support and the treatment of substance abuse. Bellew has an active grant for Gadsden City Schools for a parenting program known as “HYPE,” which has a substance abuse component, and another through the Etowah County Commission that provides a Mental Health Advocate for each of the Etowah County's three school systems. She currently is writing grants to secure funds from the State of Alabama’s Opioid Settlement Fund.
The summit they attended was timely. The staggering impact of substance abuse and mental illness on our justice system cannot be overstated. Statistics from the National Center for Drug Abuse indicate that 26% of all arrests are related to drug offenses. That impact escalates significantly when compounded by the recognized high percentage of property crimes (such as burglary and theft) committed while either obtaining drugs or acquiring money for drugs.
The impact of mental illness on the justice system likewise is significant. Published reports reveal that 2 in 5 adults in jail or prison have a history of mental illness.
Substance abuse and mental illness take a relentless toll not only on those who suffer from their effects, but also on their families and friends. Fewer families every year are not affected in one way or another.
Evidence of the toll is not limited to the criminal justice system. Judges in domestic relations cases witness daily the damage to family units, requiring intervention by the Department of Human Resources because of behavior attributable to substance abuse and/or mental illness.
Sadly, it is not that unusual in divorce cases for the court to order parties, as a condition for child custody or visitation, to undergo a psychological evaluation and enroll in a Court Referral Office program, where participants are regularly tested to confirm they are not illegally using drugs.
The summit's goal was worthy. Wise steps strategically taken to spare someone from a life of drug addiction and promote needed treatment of mental illness can redirect the trajectory of the lives of individuals and families affected.
They also have a wider benefit. Resources appropriately invested in well-administered programs pay off by reducing the corresponding societal costs incurred in the form of law enforcement hours spent fighting drug-related crimes, social services required for children and families and loss of productive work hours by affected employees.
There is also the prospect of reduced recidivism in correctional facilities. According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, it costs the state more than $15,000 a year to incarcerate a prison inmate.
We are grateful to those from Etowah County who took three days out of their busy schedules to explore new ways to help those suffering from substance use disorders and mental illness. Their willingness to contribute will help enhance the lives of others, and reduce the societal costs otherwise borne by Alabamians.
George Day is presiding circuit judge for Alabama’s 16th Judicial District in Etowah County.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Six Etowah County people take part in state mental health summit
