Jurist in Residence Letter
From Senior District Judge John J. Specia, Jr. (Ret.)
This resource letter of the Jurist in Residence (JIR) program is designed to facilitate communication among the JCMH, the judiciary, and mental health stakeholders. 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. 
Updated Website and New Innovations in Mental Health Map
In case you missed it, the JCMH recently unveiled an updated and easier to use website. The refreshed homepage now features tabs to more easily direct judges and attorneys to resources, events, grants, and news. In addition to more functional features, our new site has a greater capacity to store our expanded body of work. To take a tour of the new website, please visit here.

As part of the website refresh, JCMH launched the Texas County Innovations in Mental Health Map. The Innovations Map highlights the efforts of Texas courts to improve local challenges in mental health by implementing or utilizing local programs. These innovative strategies and resources can be shared and replicated by anyone interested in improving their own community.

February 10th Commission Meeting
The February 10th Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Meeting will take place online, and a link to a livestream of the meeting on our YouTube channel will be available on our website. At the meeting we will hear the latest news from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department as well as updates on projects and the budget. Future Commission Meetings are tentatively scheduled for May 20 and September 23.

Texas Mental Health and IDD Law Code Book Available
Recently updated following the 87th Legislative Session, the Texas Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law: Selected Statutes and Rules, is a collection of Texas statutes related to mental health and IDD in one convenient volume. The digital version is available on the JCMH website and you can request a hard copy by emailing [email protected]. 

Sincerely, 
John J. Specia, Jr. (Ret.)
Jurist in Residence
To receive the JIR Resource Letter and other special announcements, link below:
Judicial Commission on Mental Health | TexasJCMH.gov