Mental Health Courts - a discussion by J Mann
Mental Health Courts (“MHCs” or the “MHC”) began to appear in the United States in the 1990s and continued to expand when the US federal government launched a funding program to support this problem-solving court. MHCs then spread to other countries, starting with the Ontario Court of Justice at Old City Hall in Toronto over twenty years ago. Today, there are five MHCs in Canada, located in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Manitoba.
In 2011, the Government of Manitoba announced a $600,000 contribution towards implementing an MHC in Winnipeg. Spearheaded by former Chief Judges Wyant and Champagne, the MHC opened its doors and began hearing cases in 2012. In a press release announcing the establishment of MHCs, Judge Champagne stated:
“We know that there are accused persons before the court who are challenged by mental illness and that their mental illness is most often the cause for their offending behaviour…I am confident that the supports and assistance provided by a mental health court will enable these Manitobans to get back on track with their lives and help to ensure that they do not become re-involved in the criminal justice system in the future.”
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