First participants of county’s new Mental Health Court graduate

The first graduates of Kankakee County’s Mental Health Court were celebrated last Wednesday in the courtroom of Circuit Judge Lindsay Parkhurst.

Parkhurst and the county’s probation department teamed up to start the court last year. Its first meeting date was this past March, according to a press release.

The specialty court was certified by the Illinois Supreme Court in March 2024.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Kay O’Brien attended the graduation.

O’Brien grew up on her family’s farm in Reddick. She was elected as a state representative in 1996. She served until 2003 when she was appointed a justice on the Illinois Third Court of Appeals.

O’Brien was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court in November 2022.

“You most likely did not come into this program with a lot of enthusiasm. It’s not unusual,” O’Brien said to the graduates.

“In fact, you might have been trying to figure out how to game the system to get out of doing the work on your first day. That’s normal. That’s human. That’s the human condition.

“But what is unusual is that perhaps for the very first time ever, or at least the first time in a very long time, at some point along the way, you decided to believe in yourself,” O’Brien said. “You decided to see yourself as worthy of trying to make a positive change in your life. You decided to accept help from others, and to help yourself.”

Mental Health Court is a treatment court for individuals with a diagnosed mental health disorder and often a co-occurring substance use disorder who are also involved in the criminal justice system.

The county judicial system also has a drug court and veteran’s court that work similarly to the mental health court.

The participants agree to follow a treatment plan with designated treatment providers. They must complete their mental health treatment plan and remain clean and sober throughout the program.

The requirements for graduation are: no unexcused absence from court appearance, probation appointments or treatment; appointments for 90 consecutive days prior to graduation; taking all medications as prescribed; 90 days of consecutive sober time from drugs and alcohol before graduation; and a complete graduation commencement request.

Upon successful completion, the criminal charges are dismissed, and participants re-enter society with their mental health issues controlled without the need for jail or a prison sentence.

There are about 15 individuals currently enrolled.

Before honoring the three men graduating, Parkhurst’s remarks shed light on the court’s goal.

Though the three have completed all the requirements, Parkhurst reminded them that challenges will remain.

“It is not about always being happy,” Parkhurst said. “You will still have times of struggle. You will still have challenges. You will be happy and sad. You will have good times and times of loss.

“The importance of your internal compass is it lets you know who you are, what you value and how to take care of your mind so you can continue to make steady, healthy choices, even when life is messy.”

Each graduate received a compass keychain engraved with the words “You can always find your way.”

“A compass doesn’t give you the whole map,” Parkhurst said. “It doesn’t remove the obstacles or flatten the road ahead.

“What it does is help you to stay oriented, help you to keep your bearings when the skies get dark or the path gets confusing. This self-reliance is what you’ve built through your recovery journey and mental health court probation.”

Before the ceremony, Parkhurst checked in with the other participants.

While many were making progress, one individual was referred back to the circuit court for non-compliance. Another participant was admonished for deliberately missing a drug test three times. He was sanctioned with five hours of public service work to be completed by the July 9 meeting.

Two others were just starting the program.

The Mental Health Court team includes the judiciary, the state attorney’s office, the public defender’s office, the probation department, community treatment providers, peer support mentors, law enforcement and a therapy dog.