Exploring Co-Occurring Disorders in Mental Health Court: Predictors of Graduation

Individuals with co-occurring disorders are a difficult population to manage in problem-solving courts. Moreover, despite being one of the most clinically vulnerable and high-risk groups, many programs will not accept people with co-occurring disorders or are not designed to address their unique needs. As such, there is little research on those with co-occurring disorders in treatment courts. Our study adds to this limited body of research by presenting findings from one of only three U.S. Federal Mental Health Courts. Using a sample of 48 participants, we compared two diagnostic groups, mental health disorders only and co-occurring disorders on demographic, criminal history, and diagnosis variables. Comparison of the two groups showed a significantly higher proportion of older participants in the mental health disorder group but no other significant differences. Analysis of correlates related to successful graduation showed that despite more complicated clinical profiles, the co-occurring disorder group had comparable program graduation rates as the mental health disorder only group. These findings imply that the intensity of treatment and wraparound services mental health court participants accessed while under close supervision “leveled the playing field” for those with co-occurring disorders, facilitating their successful graduation from the mental health court.