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Do you or a loved one struggle with a mental illness? Has your struggle led you to commit criminal offenses? The Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Program can help treat your mental disability and keep your record clean. This pre-trial diversion program is available to individuals with a mental health history who are charged with offenses in Tarrant County.
The mission of the Mental Health Court Diversion Program is to identify mentally-impaired offenders and to expedite them through the criminal justice system by helping them achieve mental stability and non-criminal behavior.
Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Program (MHD) is a pre-trial, post-booking diversion program for mentally impaired offenders. The program offers offenders a treatment option that is judicially supervised. It is designed to divert mentally impaired offenders out of the traditional criminal justice process and into appropriate rehabilitative programs. Participants who complete their treatment regiment and graduate from the program will have their case dismissed and it will be eligible for an immediate expunction.
The eligibility requirements for the Tarrant County Mental Health Program are as follows:
Participants interested in the Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Program must undergo a screening process to determine if they are right for the program. The screening process involves the following steps:
The Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Program is a four-phase program that is completed, on average, between nine months and two years. The length of the program is determined by the participants needs and progress.
The Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Program is a four-phase program and each phase takes about three to four months to complete. Here’s an overview of what’s expected at each phase:
Complete a psychiatric evaluation with a mental health professional.
Demonstrate medication compliance for 1 to 3 months to promote mood stability.
Comply with program agreement.
Complete an individualized treatment plan and participate in treatment accordingly.
No inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations within the last three months.
Maintain sobriety for at least two months.
Regular attendance at court sessions.
Demonstrate medication compliance for 3 to 6 months to promote mood stability.
Continued compliance with the program agreement.
Participate in treatment as outlined on the treatment plan.
No inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations within the last three months.
Maintain sobriety from all illegal drugs and alcohol for at least three months.
Regular attendance at court sessions.
Demonstrate medication compliance for at least six months to promote mood stability.
Continued compliance with the program agreement.
Complete treatment goals on the treatment plan.
No inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations within the last four months.
Maintain sobriety from all illegal drugs and alcohol for at least four months.
Regular attendance at court sessions.
Completed Transition to Discharge Plan.
Demonstrate medication compliance for at least six months to promote mood stability.
Completed all treatment goals on the treatment plan.
No inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations within the last four months.
Completed Transition to Discharge Plan.
Maintained sobriety from all illegal drugs and alcohol for at least four months.
Clearly demonstrated that you have been fully engaged in your treatment and completed all program requirements.
Continued demonstration of ability to maintain long-term sobriety
High School Diploma or GED
Employed or unemployed and adequately supported by other means, such as retirement, disability, and family/spousal support.
All restitution fees paid in full.
Actively engaged with community resources, such as MHMR, NAMI, AA, etc.
Completed Transition to Discharge Plan.
Paid Program Fees in Full
The rewards for completing the Tarrant County Mental Health Diversion Program cannot be overstated. They include:
If you are looking for attorneys with experience successfully admitting individuals into the Mental Health Diversion Program, contact us at (817) 203-2220. We believe in this program, and we have close working relationship with the staff of the program. Varghese Summersett even helped produced the following video about the program in which Managing Partner Benson Varghese interviewed Judge Brent Carr and participants of the program. Watch it now and hear their success stories.