Important Information for Judges and Attorneys Handling Cases Involving Mental Health and IDD

Resource Letter for Judges and Attorneys Handling Cases Involving Mental Health and IDD

January 24, 2025

This resource letter is designed to facilitate communication among the JCMH, the judiciary, attorneys, and mental health professionals. Please forward this letter to any judges, attorneys, mental health professionals, law enforcement, or other community and state leaders who might be interested. To ensure that you regularly receive this letter, please click on the subscribe button at the bottom of this page, if you have not already.

Summer Webinar Series on IDD Topics

JCMH is proud to return with our Summer Webinar Series for 2025 focused on legal topics in the IDD sphere! The first session will be on Wednesday, June 18 from 12 – 1 p.m. and focus on IDD 101 and the Community Safety Net. It will be hosted by Dr. Evanthe Collins, the Vice President of the IDD Services Division at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, and Laura Golden, the System Director of Transition and Teaming at MHMR of Tarrant County. Click here to register for the first session. Subsequent sessions are scheduled for July 23 and August 20. More information and links to our 2024 series on competency restoration are available here!

JCMH Summit Scholarships

Register now for the 8th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health at the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria on October 7-8, 2025! As in previous years, registration for both in-person and online attendance is free, and JCMH is offering travel and lodging scholarships for judges and attorneys.

Also, let us know if your non-profit, community, or government organization would like to reserve a resource booth!

SIM Mapping Application

JCMH is providing free adult or juvenile SIM mapping workshops to rural communities! There are no fees for registration, tuition, or materials, as JCMH covers all costs for workshop planning and coordination, facilitator time, analysis, and report development.

A SIM mapping workshop helps a community assess available resources, determine gaps in services, and plan for change. The application includes more information on the process and tools for self-assessment and helps tailor the workshop to each community’s needs.

Collaborative Council Nominations

We are excited to accept any and all nominations for our Collaborative Council! This Council is comprised of judges, lawyers, law enforcement, advocate, agency leaders, and other stakeholders who advise on the projects and strategies of the Commission. This Council meets three times a year on Zoom and assists the Commission by sharing information about issues affecting judicial and court practices regarding those with mental health issues or IDD. Councilmembers serve on JCMH committees and connect the Commission to local and statewide events and are invited to attend JCMH Commission meetings. Many Commissioners began partnering with JCMH as members of the Collaborative Council. Please send any new nominations or express interest on your own behalf by emailing jcmh@txcourts.gov and including Collaborative Council Nomination in the subject line.

For a complete list of Resources, please visit the Judicial Commission on Mental Health webpage. Information provided by the JCMH should not be read as a commentary by the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, or any other court. The JCMH website is not equipped to facilitate dialogue or conversation about matters related to the information in this communication. For more information about the JCMH, please visit our website.

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Judicial Commission on Mental Health | TexasJCMH.gov