Senate bill focusing on specialized courts for defendants with mental issues

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — As the number of inmates across Missouri seeking mental health treatment rises, a senator who represents Buchanan County is looking to establish a treatment court for those in need of treatment.

Currently in Missouri, court divisions include adult treatment court, DWI court, family treatment court, juvenile treatment court and veteran treatment court.

SB 218 sponsored by State Sen. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, would create a special court for mental health issues.

“About 25 years ago was when judges got together and decided we needed treatment courts, I was told at that time they discussed mental health treatment courts but everybody decided no, we don’t need that,” Black said. “Ultimately, we know where we’ve gotten without it today.”

According to the Missouri Department of Mental Health Services, there are more than 480 people across the state on a waiting list for a mental health bed, up 300 from 2024.

The average time these individuals wait in jail before receiving treatment is 14 months, and local jails are feeling the impact.

“We’ve had several untreated inmates that are very violent and they’ve assaulted staff,” Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett. “As a result, we have staff that’s not working at the time, some who have filed workers’ comp claims and everything else.”

Individuals who do suffer from mental health disorders can receive aid such as therapeutic and drug treatments but jail staff isn’t trained or authorized to dispense it, according to Puett.

SB 218 was read for the third time in early March and passed with a 33 to 0 vote. If approved, it would become effective in August.