Mental Health Court Program
The Cherokee Judicial Circuit will launch their Mental Health Court program starting in September, 2022. This is the second accountability court to be launched in the Superior Courts of Bartow County and Gordon County, joining Drug Court which was launched in 2008. The program will be hosted by Judge Rosemary M. Greene. She will be assisted by a team of prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement personnel, and treatment providers with the goal of offering those who qualify an alternative to incarceration for many cases that might typically include significant serve time.
Entry into the program will require a qualifying mental health diagnosis coupled with a recommendation from the Mental Health Court team. It is worth noting that the program will not consider candidates who are charged with violent offenses. Those that meet the above criteria will be given the opportunity to plead guilty and enter the program.
The program length is a minimum of eighteen months but could be longer. Each case will be assessed on a case-by-case basis for conditions required for successful completion of the program. Such conditions could include continued professional mental health treatment, thorough ongoing supervision, drug tests, professional and personal counseling, and other possibilities needed to treat specific needs.
We look forward to helping those who will benefit from this great addition to Bartow and Gordon County. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.