Court makes specialty clinician permanent; reports rise in mental-health diversion referrals

Court staff reported that a specialty-court clinician pilot launched in early 2025 was adopted as standard operations as of January 2026. The role is held by a Johnson County mental-health employee and is financed in part by opioid-settlement funds, staff said, and it performs early identification, crisis intervention and coordination prior to arraignment.

Jamie Murphy told the committee the program has helped staff identify needs earlier, coordinate with Johnson County Mental Health and supply resources in the court lobby. "To date, we have distributed 150 units" of Narcan via public-facing cabinets and staff maintain a small supply of hygiene backpacks for people who come to court. Murphy said mental-health diversion referrals rose from 18 in 2024 to 24 in 2025 and that so far in 2026 referral trends are continuing to increase; the program remains subject to strict eligibility rules tied to Johnson County funding and residence.

Staff said the program recorded 368 phone and in-person clinician contacts through July 2026 and that its evaluation plan will measure barrier changes and long-term impacts on recidivism. Committee members praised the initiative but noted gaps in shelter and transitional-living services regionally.