The Importance of Mental Health Diversion

Why Jailing People with Mental Illness May Be Ineffective Studies show that people suffering from mental health disorders may be more prone to commit particular crimes.  In an effort to address the underlying mental illness that a person may suffer from, California lawmakers have made mental health diversion a priority.  Mental health diversion programs under …

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Pretrial Diversion Programs in California

Understanding California’s Deferred Entry of Judgment Programs California offers a number of pretrial diversion programs which allow the court to dismiss criminal charges against certain defendants upon completion of a program.  The goal of pretrial diversion programs is to help those charged with misdemeanor or non-serious, non-violent felonies avoid a criminal record and address the …

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California Assembly Bill 1810 – Mental Health Diversion

Establishing a Pretrial Diversion Program for those with Mental Health Disorders California Assembly Bill 1810 established a diversion program for individuals with mental disorders that had been charged with a crime.  In an effort to “mitigate the individuals’ entry and reentry into the criminal justice system,” the bill codified the mental health diversion program into …

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Mental Health Diversion Eligibility

Restrictions on Eligibility for Mental Health Diversion Under PC 1001.36 Penal Code § 1001.36 authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion to defendants suffering from a mental health disorder.  Qualified mental health disorders include but are not limited to bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.  The defense must provide evidence to the …

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Study Shows Steep Increase in Alcohol-Related Deaths

Excessive Alcohol Use Linked to Numerous Deaths Across the Country As reported by CNN, a new study published in the Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research journal shows that “the number of alcohol-related deaths increased by 50.9%” from 1999 to 2017.  Liver disease and overdoses from alcohol or alcohol mixed with another drug were the primary …

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