As the Oklahoma law enforcement community saw fit to publicly complain about the difficulties in enforcing the anti-immigrant legislation that makes it a state crime for an undocumented person to be in the state that was ushered through the Republican controlled legislature in record time by that body’s leadership and signed into law by Governor Stitt, a recent court hearing in Cleveland County was an indicative of the wisdom embodied in another enactment of that body that had been written into law years ago. That law is known is commonly known as the “Anna McBride Act” and is codified in Title 22 Section 472 of the Oklahoma Statutes, authorized the creation of a mental health court program, and further provided that courts could request the assistance of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in establishing those tribunals for the purpose of “exploring alternatives to incarceration for offenders charged with criminal offenses other than a crime listed in paragraph 2 of Section 571 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes who have a mental illness or a developmental disability or a co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorder.” The statute further provided that the district attorney would have the discretion to determine who was eligible for participation in those courts. Pursuant to that mandate, the Twenty First Judicial District Anna McBride Mental Health Court was created in Cleveland County in Norman several years ago. And on a recent afternoon, rays of sunlight filtered into a courtroom through large windows as a young African American man who is suffering from schizophrenia and had been charged with assault and battery on a medical care provider was admitted into that court by Special Judge Scott Brockman, who in a firm but compassionate tone advised him and his attorney that his admission to the program operated by the court had been approved by a team that included mental health professionals , case managers, recovery support specialists as well as law enforcement officials. A treatment program that will be based on his individual needs, based on interviews with him and a review of his records will be adopted for him that is designed to educate him about his illness and it’s symptoms and how to manage them, and to teach him how to stay drug and alcohol free and also learn to make better choices that will lessen the probability of him participating in criminal behavior and to become a productive member of the community. He will be required to attend weekly court sessions staffed by the judge and other members of the court team as well keep his appointments with the treatment providers and others that are selected for him and also report to a compliance officer to monitor his progress through the program. If he successfully completes the program, and the criminal charge that had initially brought him into the court system will be dismissed. After the young man advised Judge Brockman that he is willing to fulfill those rigorous requirement, the jurist smiled broadly at him and said with obvious feeling that “and we want you to succeed.”
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Against the Grain 