Funding approved for Troup County mental health court

Published 12:00 pm Friday, November 15, 2019

By Alicia B. Hill
Times-News

On Tuesday, the LaGrange City Council unanimously approved funding to match a state grant that will allow for the continuation of the local mental health court. 

The mental health court directs offenders, who would normally be sent to prison, to long-term community-based treatment instead. The program has been offered by the Troup County Accountability Court since 2013, and it aims to address and treat mental illness to improve quality of life, reduce crime, reduce incarcerations and reduce hospitalizations. The City of LaGrange has previously provided funding for the program.

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“We have received a funding request to provide a 10 percent cash match,” City Manager Meg Kelsey said.

“The total request is $40,000 for FY19 and FY20, and this covers salary and benefits, drug testing, mileage, travel and training. The last time we funded this was in FY17.”

Kelsey said that the program has been proven to save the city money over time.

“This really does help reduce our general cost,” Kelsey said. “The program, as was documented in their notes, has served 55 participants since it opened its doors in 2013. They have increased their capacity to serve participants. They started at 25, and now they are up to 30, so they are gaining momentum. They just need an in-kind cash match to help continue the program.”

While 55 participants may not sound like a lot, LaGrange Police Chief Lou Dekmar said that those participants may represent hundreds of prevented arrests.