PCs introduce Mental Health Court Expansion Act
HALIFAX, NS – Progressive Conservative MLA for Kings North, John Lohr is fighting for an expansion of Mental Health Courts to rural Nova Scotia.
Lohr has introduced an Act in the Legislature to require the expansion of the Mental Health Court to every region of the Province. At the moment the province only has two specialized Mental Health Courts, one is located in the same building as the Provincial Court in Dartmouth with the other located in Kings County.
“The mental health court option will divert people from criminal court where the system does not have the ability to mandate treatment plans” says Lohr. “Treatment, not jail time, is what is needed. Putting a mentally ill young person in jail can have disastrous results. This option should be available across the province, not only in the city and Kings County.”
Mental Health Court was established in November of 2009, and hears cases that have been recommended by a mental health court team that consists of medical and legal professionals.
Lohr is a strong advocate for the expansion of the Mental Health Court.
Since its launch, the Mental Health Court has seen a significant success rate and it would be beneficial to have access to this system province-wide.