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. 
2021 Summit Request for Proposals Now Open
The Judicial Commission on Mental Health is accepting proposals to present at the 4th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health, October 14-15, 2021 at the Sheraton Georgetown Hotel & Conference Center. The Summit will be in-person and virtual, but speakers will need to attend in person.
 
As JCMH continues to address topics across the Sequential Intercept Model, some areas we would like to cover during this Summit include:
·      Legislative updates;
·      Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity;
·      Reentry and community corrections;
·      Emergency detention and civil commitment;
·      Trauma-informed courtrooms;
·      Effective court orders; and
·      Peer programs.
 
The Summit will continue its focus on IDD; juvenile justice and dual-status youth; elevating the voices of those with lived experience; competency restoration; and early identification through 16.22 and 17.032. The deadline for proposals is April 1, 2021. Please click here for more information and to submit.
 
February 19th Virtual Commission Meeting
The February 19th Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Meeting will take place online. JCMH Commissioners and Collaborative Council members will participate via Zoom and the Commission Meeting will be streamed on the JCMH YouTube for all others. A link to the YouTube channel will be available on our website. At the meeting we will welcome our new Commissioners and hear updates on projects and the budget. Future Commission Meetings are scheduled for April 23 and August 7, 2021. We will determine whether those meetings can be held in person as we approach those dates.
 
Scholarships Available for NCJFCJ National Conference on Juvenile Justice
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) National Conference on Juvenile Justice will be held in Dallas on March 21-24, 2021. The JCMH is offering a limited number of registration scholarships for judges and lawyers handling juvenile or dual status cases to virtually attend the conference. Apply here.

This year’s conference offers an impressive slate of sessions on juvenile justice trends and innovations, including trauma-informed justice, juvenile competency restoration, and youth and family engagement. More information about the conference is available on the NCJFCJ website.
 
Finally, the JCMH staff and I urge you to continue to stay safe and well during this pandemic. Please keep us informed about what you are doing in your communities and let us know how we can assist you.


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