CC Newsletter - 09/02/04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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After nearly a half century of musical and humanitarian contributions, Willie Nelson has become a national treasure. Come on out to the Cuthbert for this "not to be missed" concert and enjoy an evening of country under the stars Willie style. For more information, contact the Hult Center Ticket Office at 541-682-5000. Mental Health Court In September, Eugene Municipal Court will implement a new program to assist defendants with mental illness. Lane County Health and Human Services Department received federal grant funds through the Department of Justice for additional assessment and treatment resources, and has been working on this program since October 2003 with Lane County Circuit Court. However, Circuit Court and the District Attorney's Office have not had the numbers of eligible defendants going into the Mental Health Court program to provide sufficient data for grant-reporting purposes. Defendants with mental illness who are charged with minor behavioral crimes typically have their cases filed at the municipal court level. Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Carlson approached Municipal Court about establishing a similar program in order to boost the number of referrals for treatment and evaluation. The Mental Health Court program will be primarily a diversion program to encourage defendants to obtain and continue with treatment. During the six-month diversion period, they will receive free medications, free treatment, and housing assistance. The defendants are required to report to a specified monthly court session where the judge reviews their progress. In some cases, instead of diversion, Mental Health Court may be identified as a condition of a defendant's probationary period. For either diversion or probation, defendants must first be evaluated by Lane County Mental Health staff and deemed eligible for the Mental Health Court program. Judge Mary Jane Mori and Court Operations Supervisor Gabriele Glenn are to be commended for developing and implementing the program in Eugene Municipal Court. Judge Wayne Allen, City Prosecutor Dan Barkovic, indigent defense counsel Dan Neal, and other court staff were also involved in the planning effort. In the justice system, Mental Health Court is a new type of what is known as "therapeutic" court. These courts focus on the root causes of crime. Drug courts are another type of therapeutic court. The monthly check-in court sessions will be very different from other court sessions held in municipal court. The judge develops a more personal relationship with each defendant, asks about his/her family, and becomes something like a coach. At the end of the diversion period when the case is dismissed, there is a "graduation" ceremony to congratulate the defendant on his or her accomplishment. Indeed, for many people with mental illness, completing six months in treatment is quite an accomplishment. For further information, contact Marilyn Nelson at 682-5580. First in Series of Meetinqs on Santa Clara Community Park Slated For September 9 On Thursday, September 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., neighbors in the Santa Clara area are invited to discuss the prospects for a community park in Santa Clara. Community members, partners, and City staff will be on hand to provide information, answer questions, and discuss issues, solutions and opportunities regarding the land acquisition proposal for Santa Clara Community Park. A unique urban growth boundary land trade will provide 77 acres for a new community park and 120 acres of "smart growth" neighborhood development. The meeting will be held in the Spring Creek Elementary School cafeteria at 560 Irvington Drive in Eugene. For more information, including a complete report from the committee that analyzed and developed the proposal, call Parks and Open Space Planning Manager Andrea Riner at 682-4909, or visit the project webpage at www.ci.eugene.or, us/parks/planning/SCCP_proj.htm. ORPA Gives Three Cheers For Parks and Open Space A miraculous volunteer, a progressive park, and a fact-packed website caught the attention of Oregon Recreation and Parks Association (ORPA) this year. Parks and Open Space received the VIP Marketing Award for its newly redesigned website and the Design Award for the recently completed Oakmont Park. Ray Wiley, a park advocate, received the Voluntary Service Award. The redesigned Parks and Open Space website, found at www.ci.eugene.or, us/parks, won the VIP Marketing Award with its 200 user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing pages where visitors will discover a board range of information related to the division's services and programs. Favorite features include "Find a Park by Amenity," which allows visitors to select specific amenities and geographical regions to find a park that meets their search criteria, and webcams that allow visitors to view live scenes from area parks. Other important upgrades were made to improve the website's ADA EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 September 2, 2004