Care before jail

Flint, Michigan is currently implementing a pilot mental health court program to help reduce the number of individuals with a severe mental illness that get caught in the state’s jails and prisons. Mental health courts are laudable and we hope they continue to be embraced throughout the country. But people shouldn’t have to be arrested to get the care they need.

With the passage of Kevin’s Law, Michigan gave its citizens a proven option for obtaining needed mental health treatment without the burden of the criminal process. It is already a reality in other parts of Michigan. The citizens of Genesee County deserve that same opportunity.