Metro official backs mental health court

Wednesday, March 12, 2003 | 10:51 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- In a 17-year span, 25 mentally ill people were arrested in the Las Vegas area a total of 8,113 times for mostly minor offenses.

Metro Police Lt. Stan Olsen used the numbers today to illustrate to legislators how those with mental illnesses cost law enforcement.

"We have no place to take them," he said.

Olsen and others testified before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee in support of Assembly Bill 238, which would allocate $300,000 a year to Clark County to establish a mental health court.

Rick Loop, assistant court administrator for Clark County, said the state money would be used for services such as counseling and medication. Some judges already are willing to take on the duties, and the court cost would be absorbed in the present judicial system, he said.

"We believe a mental health court can be a success in keeping people out of jail," Loop said.

The real obstacle in establishing a mental health court in Southern Nevada is the treatment money.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman William Horne, D-Las Vegas. The committee did not take any action on the measure, which would allocate the money to the Interim Finance Committee to distribute once the mental health court was established in Southern Nevada.

Olsen told the committee that the study of the 25 individuals was only in one command. He said Metro has set up a training unit for officers to deal with those in crisis involved in drugs or mental problems.

"Law enforcement has gone half way," Olsen said, urging the other half to be started. "Many of these people don't belong in jail."

Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, who works in the court system, said there has been a "dramatic reduction" in the jail time of those who go through the mental health court system in Washoe County.

People usually undergo six to nine months of treatment and counseling.

Another bill, Assembly Bill 29, would impose an assessment on those convicted in Justice Court to fund specialty courts.