BUFFALO, N.Y. – An alternative court system in Buffalo seeks to rehabilitate people with mental illness instead of putting them in jail.
Buffalo’s mental health court is part of New York’s “problem-solving courts,” which provides alternative sentencing for veterans, gamblers, addicts, or people who were caught up in human trafficking.
On Friday, the 17-year-old who pleaded guilty to harassment for threatening Hutch Tech in Buffalo will have his case transferred to mental health court.
Erie County's Department of Mental Health Commissioner Michael Ranney didn’t want to speculate on the case or a person’s mental health condition, but said a situation like that suggests those involved feel there may be a better solution than putting a teenager behind bars.
Mental health courts have been around since 2002.
The first one was in Kings County, and Buffalo's opened soon after.
Today, there are nine mental health courts across WNY including Buffalo.
"It was primarily developed for people with a mental health condition, who might otherwise be spending time in jail, for some lower level, non-violent sorts of offenses,” Ranney explained.
Ranney said the Department of Health has helped provide resources to these courts. They’re staffed with a Department of Health liaison, and sometimes they’re provide mental health evaluations when requested.
A judge could issue a conditional release, which may include requiring a person to seek outpatient treatment and return to court for regular check-ins.
Ranney said the right judge helps make this work. Here in Buffalo that's Judge Robert Russell.
"It's also a really important piece that individual is kind, understanding, and in this case – and in many of our courts – genuinely cares about the well-being on the individuals in from of him,” Ranney said.
He wasn't available for an interview Friday night, but Russell has been nationally recognized for his compassionate approach to problem solving courts.
"He has helped spread the word across the national actually as it relates to the successes of his mental health court as well as Buffalo City veterans court,” Ranney said.