Courts We Serve
Galveston Mental Health Court
Mental Health Court
Established by Galveston County Commissioner’s Court in 2020, the Mental Health Court connects eligible defendants with community-based mental health treatment and assigns them to community-based supervision. The mission of the Galveston County Mental Health Court is to improve the quality of life for people with mental illness who are charged with crimes, and to increase access to and utilization of community mental health and other resources for court participants. Judge Wayne Mallia, the presiding judge since the court’s inception, also works with clients charged with misdemeanor offenses in a special mental health docket
Program Needs
- Valuable “incentives” or rewards for program participants who are making significant steps, big and small, towards their goals to improve their overall mental health, well-being and success in the program.
- Emergency housing to ensure program participants have a safe and stable place to stay that is supportive of mental health, substance use recovery and living a crime-free life.
- Access to specialized treatment such as family therapy and evidence-based treatment such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy.
- Access to targeted therapies to help heal and empower those affected by trauma and co-occurring disorders.
- Gas cards, taxi vouchers and METRO money to assist participants overcome some of the basic barriers to access to care.
