The University of Saskatchewan says the province’s first mental health court reduces recidivism. The evaluation conducted by the university found that the first group of people to go through the Court were arrested less often for petty offences in the year following their participation in the program.

The report also indicated that the participants who have cognitive disabilities and mental health disorders, were better connected with mental health services and made fewer trips to the emergency department.

One participant has said it gave them back their life and that when they started with the mental health court their situation went from being homeless and depressed to connecting with Housing First and getting off the streets. Then this individual was able to access a counselor and eventually a psychiatrist and medication.

The mental health court is held the first and third Monday of the month. Its goal, by coordinating treatment in the community, is for people with mental illness or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, to have an alternative to the regular criminal court system.