Mental health court's effectiveness to be studied

MEDIA RELEASE

ALGOMA UNIVERSITY

************************* NORDIK Institute to study Sault Community Court Study to analyze success of Mental Health Court

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON (June 1, 2010) - The NORDIK (Northern Ontario Research, Development, Ideas and Knowledge) Institute at Algoma University will conduct a study to discover the effectiveness of the recently launched Sault Mental Health Court (MHC), a special court to divert some individuals with mental health problems into treatment programs to address the roots of their difficulties with the criminal justice system.

The study will collect data on individuals that are diverted to the Mental Health Court in an effort to measure the success of the program and any gaps that need to be addressed to make the MHC process more effective.

Initially, NORDIK will work to develop a comprehensive survey that will allow mental health workers to gather background data on participants.

NORDIK will train those workers on how to collect and use that data to manage their understanding of the selection and intervention processes.

NORDIK will also perform a comparative study with another community in Northern Ontario that operates without a Mental Health Court.

Finally, upon completion of the study next March, NORDIK will produce a report that will identify gaps in the system and provide recommendations for improvements.

It is hoped that over time the Sault Ste. Marie Canadian Mental Health Association will be able to use this information to, for example, evaluate cost savings of the MHC in terms in of community safety, such as a reduced likelihood of self-harm or threat to others.

Jim Horley, a forensic psychologist from the University of Alberta, is leading the research. "Approximately 70-100 clients will attend the Mental Health Court over the next year, and we will get to talk to between 40 and 60 participants through this study" said Warren Weir, acting director for NORDIK. "The information we collect will come from interview-generated data with clients, and will be used in the short-term to improve the program, and over the longer-term to improve the delivery of judicial services to other communities in Northern Ontario and beyond." About NORDIK

NORDIK Institute is a community-based research institute attached to Algoma University, and has conducted research on a variety of topics including the social economy, culture and the arts, and socio-economic impact analysis.

NORDIK also works closely with Indigenous communities to respond to their research needs. About Algoma University

Algoma University offers a wide variety of liberal arts and sciences degree options including programs in psychology, computer science, business administration, fine arts, community economic & social development, and biology.

Algoma U is committed to offering a personal education experience unlike any university in Ontario.

As the Canadian home of the internationally recognised M.Sc. CGT from the University of Abertay Dundee, Algoma University is at the forefront of computer games technology education.

Algoma University also offers accelerated second degree programs in Business Administration and Computer Science on its Brampton campus.

As a partner with Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, Algoma U is committed to respecting Anishinaabe knowledge and culture.

To learn more about Algoma University, visit here.

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