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Mental Health Therapeutic Court
Staff Name |
Title | Phone | |
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Aimee Maurer |
Judge | 509-477-2961 | |
Barbie Folden |
Court Manager | 509-477-2283 | [email protected] |
Kim Hammond | Case Manager | 509-477-2281 | [email protected] |
Janelle Deffe |
Case Manager | 509-477-2277 | [email protected] |
Aimee Emtman |
Secretary | 509-477-2230 | AEmtman@spokanecounty.org |
Directory/more info... |
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Background
Spokane County has implemented an expanded Mental Health Court. This was made available thanks to legislation enacted in 2005, RCW 82.14.460 which allowed for a "Mental Health Sales Tax" of one tenth of 1% to be used for the operation of new or expanded therapeutic court programs and to provide new or expanded mental health treatment or chemical dependency services.
The Mental Health Therapeutic Court maintains the premise that crimes committed by mentally ill persons are not simply a law enforcement or criminal justice problem, but a public health problem.
Purpose
In the regular system, misdemeanant defendants often interact with multiple defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges. In the past, mentally ill offenders often spent unnecessary time in jail and, lacking access to mental health treatment services on release, became repeat offenders and cycled through the justice system again and again.
The Mental Health Therapeutic Court (MHTC) represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between two systems that have traditionally not worked closely together, the mental health treatment system and the criminal justice system.
The project has achieved the following outcomes for the mentally ill misdemeanant population:
In the regular system, misdemeanant defendants often interact with multiple defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges. In the past, mentally ill offenders often spent unnecessary time in jail and, lacking access to mental health treatment services on release, became repeat offenders and cycled through the justice system again and again.
The Mental Health Therapeutic Court (MHTC) represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between two systems that have traditionally not worked closely together, the mental health treatment system and the criminal justice system.
The project has achieved the following outcomes for the mentally ill misdemeanant population:
- Improved access to mental health treatment services
- Improved public safety
- Improved well-being
- Reduced recidivism
Court Team
The Mental Health Court Team consists of a Judge, Court Manager/Forensic Evaluator, Prosecuting Attorney, Defense Attorneys, Court Case Manager, Probation Officers and support staff. The team interacts regularly with treatment providers, Eastern State Hospital Legal Offender Unit, jail discharge staff, and other important partners including housing specialists and financial resource officers.
The Mental Health Court Team consists of a Judge, Court Manager/Forensic Evaluator, Prosecuting Attorney, Defense Attorneys, Court Case Manager, Probation Officers and support staff. The team interacts regularly with treatment providers, Eastern State Hospital Legal Offender Unit, jail discharge staff, and other important partners including housing specialists and financial resource officers.
Office Located at:

Broadway Center Building
721 N. Jefferson
Second Floor
Directions/Map
Hearings Held at:

Public Safety Building
1100 W Mallon Ave.
Second Floor
Directions/Map
Broadway Center Building
721 N. Jefferson
Second Floor
Directions/Map
Hearings Held at:
Public Safety Building
1100 W Mallon Ave.
Second Floor
Directions/Map
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Mental Health Therapeutic Court
Physical Address
Broadway Center Building, Flr2
721 N Jefferson Street
Spokane, WA 99260
Mailing Address
Broadway Center Building
PO Box 2352
Spokane, WA 99260
Phone: 509-477-2230Fax: 509-477-2231
Court Hearings are held at -
Public Safety Building
Second floor, courtroom 1
1100 W Mallon Ave
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