Community Connections Mental Health Court
Reducing Recidivism & Improving Community Safety
This collaborative project with the Hillsborough County Court, local police departments, corrections personnel, consumer advocates, prosecutors and public defenders offers an alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders with mental health disorders.
The project offers an alternative to incarceration by providing recovery-based treatment to enhance the quality of the individual’s life, reduce recidivism and improve community safety.
Why It Works
Studies have repeatedly shown that mental health court programs have been extremely effective in breaking the cycle of repeat criminal offenses by addressing the underlying causes that contribute to the negative behaviors.
In the period between 2010 and 2015, approximately 1,185 clients were served in the program, leading to many successes. The resulting recidivism rates are significantly lower than the national or statewide average.
In addition to the much-needed treatment for defendants with mental health challenges, the program results in substantially reduced costs for our communities. To date the mental health court has saved the County over $2,000,000.
For more information about the Community Connections Mental Health Court project, please contact us at (603) 889-6147 ext. 3516.
