Yakima County Mental Health Court celebrates first graduate

July 21--YAKIMA, Wash. -- More than a year has passed since Gerado Mejia has heard the voices that led to his arrest on felony harassment charges.

The voices started after he stopped taking prescribed medication because it was causing an allergic reaction, he said.

"When I'm not on meds, I feel like people are trying to hurt me," the 24-year-old said Tuesday before entering a courtroom at Yakima County Superior Court for what would be a major milestone. "I feel like people are talking about me and trying to do something bad to me."

But on this day he's learned quite the opposite: That his illness is treatable as long as he takes the medication as prescribed. Majia is the first person to graduate Yakima County's Mental Health Court, a program designed to keep those diagnosed with a mental illness out of jail and safely back into a recovery plan.

Standing in front of a crowded courtroom, Mejia read a letter he wrote thanking the mental heath team and Yakima County Court Commissioner Robert Inouye for the support that saw him through the program resulting in dismissal of the felony charge with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought again.

"I became a better person in every aspect of my life by learning to make better decisions," he read from his hand-written letter. "I now know that I can accomplish anything in my life if I put my heart into it."

Inouye pointed out that Mejia completed the program in one year. When it was implemented in May 2013, officials thought it would take participants two years, on average, to complete.

"It's relatively rare that someone comes into the program and pushes through and meets all phases of the program in the minimal amount of time," Inouye said.

Those who participate meet regularly with a team of mental health providers and follow a specific program designed for them along with substance abuse treatment if needed. They appear in court once a week for a progress report. A team of mental health providers recommends who should be accepted into the program and Inouye makes the final decision.

Mejia flashed a boyish grin as Inouye, with a handshake, handed him a certificate of completion.

In an interview before the court hearing, Mejia didn't want to discuss the harassment charge, but said getting on a medication that works for him has made all the difference.

He has worked in general maintenance for the nonprofit Habitat For Humanity, which builds and renovates housing, but now plans to move closer to family in California. There, he said, he will find a mental health provider to keep him current on medications and provide any other treatment he may need. "I'm excited," Mejia said.

Inouye said Mejia's completion of the program demonstrates its usefulness in keeping those with a mental illness out of the criminal justice system so they can go on to lead productive lives.

Often, suspects repeatedly cycle through the system simply because they haven't been evaluated or treated. So far, the court has 11 participants. "I'm happy with that," Inouye said. "It's been so much different than the other therapeutic courts that we have. There's been a learning curve."

Other specialized courts include gang, drug and DUI court. But experts note that Mental Health Court is more complex because those diagnosed typically have an array of challenges, including related substance abuse problems from trying to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. Or they might lack stable housing.

The graduation rate is not 100 percent so far; five participants have been kicked out for noncompliance with the terms, Inouye said.

"But the rest are moving forward," he said.

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