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Troup County staff to seek FY‑27 mental health court operating grant to sustain court services
Summary
County staff asked commissioners for permission to apply for an FY‑27 operating grant to continue the Troup County Mental Health Court, noting 21 current participants, a program capacity of 30 and state screening rules limiting intake to high‑risk cases.
Troup County staff asked the Board of Commissioners for permission to apply for an FY‑27 operating grant to sustain the county’s Mental Health Court, which staff said has served county misdemeanor and felony defendants for 13 years.
"Our mental health court has been serving our community for 13 years for misdemeanor and felony, defendants," Jasmine Johnson told commissioners, adding that the program provides an evidence‑based alternative to incarceration for people with significant behavioral‑health needs. Staff reported 21 people currently enrolled and capacity of 30, and said the grant request in the materials is accompanied by a required 15% local cash match.
Staff said a recent memo from the Georgia Council of Accountability Court Judges requires that accepted participants be classified as high risk, which has limited the court's ability to accept some applicants. Commissioners asked about referral sources and capacity expansion; Johnson said referrals come from jail screening, the district attorney, public defenders and the state solicitor, and that a newly hired mental‑health liaison should increase appropriate referrals over time.
The work session presentation concluded with staff asking that the application request be taken up at the regular meeting that evening; no formal vote was recorded during the work session.
