Case study for mental health care over incarceration

Originally published in The Journal Record: Melissa Walton is the executive director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council.

During a visit to Davidson County‘s Behavioral Care Center (BCC) in Nashville, I saw firsthand how investing in mental health care, not incarceration, transforms lives. This institution was selected as a model for our own forthcoming criminal justice mental health facility. Oklahoma County has the chance to follow this model and make treatment, not punishment, the standard.

The BCC plays an important role in diverting folks struggling with mental health and/or co-occurring disorders out of the criminal justice system. It incorporates many evidence based best practices including individual and group sessions. One of the group sessions I was able to interact with in Nashville had great emphasis on “restorative practices.” Restorative practices use collaboration and accountability to repair harm and rebuild trust—helping people return home, to work, and to their communities. Their model has proven highly effective in reducing recidivism and effectively helping those who need it most.

People struggling with mental health and substance abuse disorders are some of our community’s most overlooked, often pulled into a justice system that only exacerbates such problems. I believe Oklahoma County’s coming BCC is an opportunity to make a sort of amends for the harm our criminal justice system has put on some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Read the full opinion editorial here.