Once the New Year's Eve ceremonies and celebrations are concluded, the new year is much like the past for most people. The calendar changes, but the routine remains the same.
That won't be the case in January for some of the community's residents suffering with mental illnesses, thanks to two new programs designed specifically for them.
It is no secret that the Topeka area is home to a significant population that suffers from mental illness and that many of those people come in contact with our law enforcement, corrections and judicial officials. Their experiences with those people and institutions, however, don't always result in the attention and care they require. The cycle through the court and prison systems often is repeated.
Advocates for the mentally ill hope an alternative sentencing court will change that. The court, created with the assistance of Topeka Municipal Court Judge Vic Miller, will begin hearing cases in early January. A clinician and peer support coordinator, funded through a federal grant, will work with nonviolent mentally ill inmates who are in jail for relatively minor crimes.
The court will allow inmates who qualify to be released from jail if they comply with a treatment plan. In addition to treatment, assistance with housing, employment and substance abuse will be available.
Because treating the mentally ill in a jail setting is expensive, the alternative sentencing program has the potential to save taxpayers money while delivering much-needed assistance to people who are really in need.
Municipal Court and Valeo Behavioral Health Care, which is a partner in the program, deserve recognition for addressing an important public issue.
A second program that begins in January, a partnership between Valeo and Community Health Ministry, will give people with mental illnesses access to dental care. It, too, is a worthy program.
The mentally ill covered by Medicaid or private insurance have access to cleanings and other basic dental care, but many people with mental health or substance abuse issues become detached from routine care and develop more advanced problems. Community Health Ministry can refer people who need more extensive care to dental partners capable of providing it.
The alternative sentencing court and the dental program promise to make life easier, and better, for Topeka residents dealing with mental illnesses, which will make the entire community healthier and stronger.
Members of The Capital-Journal Editorial Advisory Board are Gregg Ireland, Mike Hall, Fred Johnson, Ray Beers Jr., Garry Cushinberry, John Stauffer, Frank Ybarra and Sally Zellers.