Judge Milton Mack

If you go back to 1963, the Community Mental Health Act, that bill was designed to do two things. Significantly reduce the number of people in hospital and provide an outpatient system of care as an alternative. The outpatient treatment system didn't happen. So what happened? We got 2 million people in America with serious mental illness in jail every year.

If you go back to 1963, the Community Mental Health Act, that bill was designed to do two things. Significantly reduce the number of people in hospital and provide an outpatient system of care as an alternative. The outpatient treatment system didn't happen. So what happened? We got 2 million people in America with serious mental illness in jail every year.

We have well over 300,000 in our state prison system with serious mental illness because they're left untreated. People think that guardianship is for adults. No. Over half of our guardianships are for people with serious mental illness who never got the treatment they needed when it would have made a difference.

We have well over 300,000 in our state prison system with serious mental illness because they're left untreated. People think that guardianship is for adults. No. Over half of our guardianships are for people with serious mental illness who never got the treatment they needed when it would have made a difference.

We have well over 300,000 in our state prison system with serious mental illness because they're left untreated. People think that guardianship is for adults. No. Over half of our guardianships are for people with serious mental illness who never got the treatment they needed when it would have made a difference.

So my objection has been to create a system where we intervene early and avoid the use of hospitals as well as jails and prisons. Because hospitals really are not therapeutic environments, number one. Well, they're more than jails and prisons, but they're designed to stabilize someone. not to get them into recovery, not to get them well, but stable.

So my objection has been to create a system where we intervene early and avoid the use of hospitals as well as jails and prisons. Because hospitals really are not therapeutic environments, number one. Well, they're more than jails and prisons, but they're designed to stabilize someone. not to get them into recovery, not to get them well, but stable.

So my objection has been to create a system where we intervene early and avoid the use of hospitals as well as jails and prisons. Because hospitals really are not therapeutic environments, number one. Well, they're more than jails and prisons, but they're designed to stabilize someone. not to get them into recovery, not to get them well, but stable.

So just for example, in Wayne County, which is where Detroit's located, we did a study. Over a five-year period, we had 15,000 petitions for mental health treatment for 9,000 individuals. 600 of those 9,000 people accounted for 36% of all the petitions filed. There was less than 1% of the population, but 36% of the petitions filed.

So just for example, in Wayne County, which is where Detroit's located, we did a study. Over a five-year period, we had 15,000 petitions for mental health treatment for 9,000 individuals. 600 of those 9,000 people accounted for 36% of all the petitions filed. There was less than 1% of the population, but 36% of the petitions filed.

So just for example, in Wayne County, which is where Detroit's located, we did a study. Over a five-year period, we had 15,000 petitions for mental health treatment for 9,000 individuals. 600 of those 9,000 people accounted for 36% of all the petitions filed. There was less than 1% of the population, but 36% of the petitions filed.

And they are what we call the front of the faces that rotate in and out of the system constantly. We looked at the top users of the system. We had 79 people who had at least 10 petitions in the previous five years. Those individuals in the prior fiscal year, we spent $3.3 million on hospitalization, $1.6 million on incarceration, a total of $4.9 million. And for that $4.9 million, we got nothing.

And they are what we call the front of the faces that rotate in and out of the system constantly. We looked at the top users of the system. We had 79 people who had at least 10 petitions in the previous five years. Those individuals in the prior fiscal year, we spent $3.3 million on hospitalization, $1.6 million on incarceration, a total of $4.9 million. And for that $4.9 million, we got nothing.

And they are what we call the front of the faces that rotate in and out of the system constantly. We looked at the top users of the system. We had 79 people who had at least 10 petitions in the previous five years. Those individuals in the prior fiscal year, we spent $3.3 million on hospitalization, $1.6 million on incarceration, a total of $4.9 million. And for that $4.9 million, we got nothing.

One individual had 46 visits to the ER. So at what point in time do we say, this is not working, clearly not working?

One individual had 46 visits to the ER. So at what point in time do we say, this is not working, clearly not working?

One individual had 46 visits to the ER. So at what point in time do we say, this is not working, clearly not working?

We don't wait until someone's dangerous to solve for others. We want to know, do you have a mental illness? Do you understand your need for treatment? Are you faced with decompensation, deterioration? And does this create a risk of harm? The harm doesn't have to be immediate. So, for example, we had a case in Michigan.

We don't wait until someone's dangerous to solve for others. We want to know, do you have a mental illness? Do you understand your need for treatment? Are you faced with decompensation, deterioration? And does this create a risk of harm? The harm doesn't have to be immediate. So, for example, we had a case in Michigan.

We don't wait until someone's dangerous to solve for others. We want to know, do you have a mental illness? Do you understand your need for treatment? Are you faced with decompensation, deterioration? And does this create a risk of harm? The harm doesn't have to be immediate. So, for example, we had a case in Michigan.