Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health

This year, the JCMH traveled to eight counties as part of the County Mental Health Law Plan pilot program to host mental health law workshops. By participating in this program, counties identify gaps and resources, clarify roles within the county, streamline complex mental health processes, provide access to free resources, identify mental health best practices, and create accountability. Thank you to all of our counties for participating!

The day before this year's Summit, some of our Commissioners and Collaborative Councilmembers took part in a Reentry Simulation put on by On Point Reentry Consortium (OPRC). Each participant was given a folder with the profile of a person reentering society after leaving prison and had to "become" that person for the exercise. They had to do things like get an ID, set up a bank account, and apply for a job. The exercise showed us that it is far from easy and gave all of the participants a greater understanding of the challenges people reentering society go through. This video follows two of our participants, JCMH Commissioners Judge Selena Solis and Judge David Jahn.

?????????? THIS IS WHAT ADVOCACY LOOKS LIKE ???????? Incredibly Thankful For & Respectful Of My Beautiful, Brilliant, Kind & Courageous Friend Judge Cyndi Gore I need more time to put into words the VITALITY IMPORTANT work that is done daily to advocate, educate, rehabilitate, support, inspire & improve the lives & futures our youth in the judicial system. ???? Honored to learn a little more @ the work being done to best serve our children & communities. The Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Conference @texasjcmh Was INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL! ?? I’m Thankful For & Impressed by those who serve in this capacity. Our City of Allen @cityofallentx is blessed to have such a dedicated & caring Judge. ???? Thank you Marriott Dallas Allen Hotel & Convention Center @marriottallen for hosting the conference ???? Visit Allen, Texas @visitallentexas ????

Strong representation from Hays County this past week in Allen, Texas at the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health's annual Summit! Joined by Judge Elaine Brown, Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, Community Outreach Specialist Alison G. Castillo, MPA, Chief Misdemeanor Prosecutor Landon Campbell, Probation Officer Cesar Urbano , and Court Case Worker Tyler Staton. As a group we learned more about competency restoration, jail diversion, trauma informed interventions and treatment, community engagement and collaboration, specialty courts and best practices, and policy. Cheers to an informative summit, filled with inspiring key speakers, those with lived experiences, and subject matter experts. I appreciated hearing new perspectives and expanding my knowledge on these topics! #TJCMH #criminaljusticeandmentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #standtogether #wearestrongertogether #forensicsocialwork

The Office of Forensic Coordination of the Texas Health and Human Services’ Health & Specialty Care System representing at the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health’s 7th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health!

Mike Maples, Jonathan Lemuel and I had the pleasure to represent Bluebonnet Trails Community Services at the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Summit the past two days. Excellent learning opportunity with informative expert speakers!

THAT'S A WRAP! We closed out the Summit with four wonderful presentations. More content to come next week, but thank you to everyone who participated as a speaker, attendee, or volunteer. The 7th Annual Summit was a huge success!

I just wrapped up an incredible week at the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Summit in Allen, TX—a gathering I’ve been honored to participate in as a collaborative council member since its inception 8 years ago. This year was especially meaningful as I represented Measure in collaborating with Lioness Justice Impacted Women's Alliance on a powerful panel: Dangerous Women: Confronting Stereotypes in the Criminal Legal and Mental Health Systems. During the panel, we addressed the harmful biases and stereotypes that disproportionately impact girls and women—focusing on issues like adultification, personality disorders, and addiction. Together, we shared actionable strategies to challenge these biases and pave the way for more equitable, person-centered systems. I’m incredibly grateful to work alongside such inspiring change makers who are deeply committed to advancing justice and equity for all #jcmhsummit2024

?? I had the honor of speaking at the 7th Annual Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Summit on inpatient competency restoration ?? alongside Felix Torres, MD, MBA, FACHE, DFAPA, CCHP-MH, our wonderful Chief of Forensic Medicine. I also enjoyed supporting my friend and colleague, Omar Hernandez as he discussed the exciting outcomes from our Jail In Reach Learning Collaborative over the last three years. ?? It’s always a privilege to attend this summit and witness the incredible work being done across the state to support justice-involved individuals with mental health needs. The passion and dedication are truly inspiring, as professionals from various fields came together to share insights, challenges, and successes. This collaboration fuels the ongoing efforts to improve systems, create pathways, and provide better outcomes for those we serve. ?? I’m looking forward to seeing the progress we continue to make and am grateful to be part of such impactful work. #MentalHealth #JusticeReform #competencyrestoration #Collaboration #MakingADifference

Our Deputy Liaisons kicked off day 2 of the JCMH Summit! Our Deputy Liaisons are Supreme Court of Texas Justice Rebeca Huddle and Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Jesse McClure. We are thankful for their leadership.