Two specialty courts in Livingston County were among those in Michigan receiving grants included among more than $6 million in funding.

The Michigan Supreme Court announced last week that nearly $5.2 has been awarded to fund the operation of more than 40 mental health courts in Fiscal Year 2020, while another $900,000 has been awarded to 25 courts statewide to fund the operation of veterans’ treatment court programs. Among the recipients for those grants are five specialty programs run through the 53rd District Court in Howell. They include the Intensive Treatment Mental Health Court, which received $163,000; the Swift & Sure Probation program which got $120,000; the Adult Drug Court which received $76,000, while $30,000 went to the Veterans Treatment and $28,000 for the Juvenile Drug Court.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement serves as the liaison to problem-solving courts in the state and says the through structured treatment and supervision, these “life-changing” treatment courts, “ensure that individuals who are struggling” have access to the help they need. A 2018 report found that unemployment among adult mental health court graduates was cut by more than half, while the veterans treatment courts, “promote sobriety, recovery, and stability through a coordinated response that involves collaboration with a variety of traditional partners found in drug courts and mental health courts, as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs, volunteer veteran mentors, and organizations that support veterans and veterans’ families.” (JK)

Pictured is a 2017 53rd District Court Veterans Treatment Court graduation.