Escambia Mental Health Court
M.C. Blanchard Building
190 Governmental Center
Pensacola, Florida 32502
(850) 595-0004
Escambia County T.E.A.M. Court Program
Teaching, Education, Accountability and Motivation Court
The Escambia County TEAM Court Program is designed to provide targeted treatment for a criminal defendant who has been diagnosed with a mental illness and whose condition contributed to the commission of the qualifying charge. The mission of TEAM Court is to connect defendants with individualized community based treatment programs and support services so that they may successfully manage their condition while being held accountable for their actions and satisfying the conditions of their sentence.
Participants are closely monitored through Judicial supervision and case management as they progress through the three phases of the program. The Office of the State Attorney reviews referrals for the TEAM Court Program to determine eligibility. Participants are given an individualized, directed case plan to assist each person in gaining insight into their illness and to teach them how to seek assistance in the community to successfully manage the condition.
TEAM Court is a "team" concept wherein several entities come together to include: State Attorney, Public Defender, private defense attorneys, Regional Conflict Counsel, Community Corrections, County Probation, Pretrial Services, Lakeview Center and others in the community. The common goals of TEAM Court include: connecting individuals to the providers in the community and encouraging them to maintain stability through effective use of therapy and/or medication; keeping individuals with mental illnesses stabilized to reduce recidivism and easing the burden on the criminal justice and corrections systems; assisting each participant with other personal needs by connecting them with social services, veteran's assistance, etc
Okaloosa Mental Health Court
Okaloosa County Courthouse Annex Extension
1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard
Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32547
(850) 609-4700
Okaloosa County Mental Health Court was established in 2003. It is a specialized court docket for defendants with mental disabilities that substitutes traditional court processing with a problem-solving model. Participants are identified through specialized screening and assessments and voluntarily participate in a judicially supervised treatment plan developed jointly by a team of court staff and mental health professionals. Incentives reward adherence to the treatment plan and other court conditions, non-adherence may be sanctioned, and success or graduation is defined according to specific criteria.
Referral Process
Referrals can be made to the Mental Health Court Case Manager by judges, private attorneys, public defenders, state attorneys, or pretrial officers.
Duration
Mental Health Court is a minimum of one year in length regardless of a misdemeanor or a felony charge. However, this can be extended if a defendant demonstrates noncompliance or incurs new charges while in the program.