Pubdate: Tue, 13 Nov 2007
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Section: Pg A5
Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact:  http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Heather Knight

GOVERNOR SKEPTICAL ABOUT EXPANDING MENTAL HEALTH COURTS STATEWIDE

While San Francisco's Behavioral Health Court has many supporters, 
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger remains skeptical the model should be 
expanded around the state.

Last month, he vetoed a bill introduced by State Sen. Darrell 
Steinberg, D-Sacramento, which would have formally authorized 
Superior Courts around California to develop mental health courts and 
would have created minimum standards for them.

Several mental health courts exist around California, but Steinberg 
hoped the law would encourage more counties to consider developing 
their own. He told The Chronicle addressing mental health is one of 
the keys to reducing recidivism and reforming the state's troubled, 
crowded prison system.

"I believe that if we are going to reform the Department of 
Corrections in the way that everybody talks about, we cannot just 
build more facilities to accommodate more prisoners," Steinberg said. 
"We have to make mental health treatment an inextricable part of this 
system and a major tenet of our parole system."

In his veto statement, Schwarzenegger said he was concerned about the 
cost, estimated at more than $14 million a year for the Department of 
Corrections and Rehabilitation. But that wasn't his only concern.

"While I agree that more efforts need to be made to ensure that 
prisoners with mental health issues receive appropriate treatment, 
this bill allows people who have committed crimes to avoid punishment 
completely because of a mental health issue," Schwarzenegger wrote.

Steinberg said he will reintroduce the bill next year.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman