ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Orangeburg county plans to begin a mental health court as an alternative court for those impacted by mental health and legal issues.
Willie Priester, executive director of Orangeburg area mental health is leading the charge.
"The mental health court system will allow patients who have run afoul with the law, be able to engage in this program and have those charges potentially dropped" says Priester.
In this system the person would be assessed and if they qualify, they would receive individual and/or group counseling, medication management and a host of other items that would go along with the year-long treatment.
"We want people to understand that this does not include violent crimes, it doesn't include felonies" says Priester, "This is mostly misdemeanors that would land them in jail. To be able to have them stable in the community and working toward their recovery and if they can remain in the community it's savings for everyone."
Mental health court is already running in several areas of the state. The hope is to have some facet of the program installed in Orangeburg county sometime next year.