A Missouri Senate bill would create specialized courts focused on providing an alternative for certain criminal defendants who are suffering from a mental health disorder. The Missouri Senate gave initial approval Monday to the legislation sponsored by Sen. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe.
Black said there needs to be a special court for mental health issues.
“I’ve tried to look back in history and see, it’s been 20-25 years ago, we started different types of treatment courts in our state,” Black said. “Believe it or not, at that time, the need for mental health courts wasn’t there, or people didn’t think that it would be necessary to try to have these special courts for mental health issues.”
He said the establishment of a mental health treatment court would complement existing specialized treatment courts such as adult, DWI, family, juvenile, and veteran treatment courts.
“We see courts throughout the state, the various circuits trying to do things to help those people to come into their court system dealing with mental health issues and they’ve asked us to put forth this bill and for us to pass it and get it to the governor,” he said.
Sen. Joe Nicola, R-Grain Valley, is concerned over the bill’s lack of definition of mental health.
“There is a contingent in our country that would like to diagnose Christians as having a mental health disorder,” said Nicola. “So, I’m pretty concerned about that.”
Black’s bill requires a final vote before moving to the House for consideration.
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