The Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health set out on a listening tour in August 2023 to garner input from people with lived experience with the judicial and behavioral health systems. During the nine regional town hall meetings across the commonwealth, commission members asked attendees to share their experiences with emergency services providers, including 911 and law enforcement; the courts, including Pretrial Services and detention or out-of-home placement through the court process; jail/prison sentences; community corrections; diversion programs; parole; and other re-entry options.
Attendees were also asked to share about community services they had accessed. Town halls took place in the following cities in 2023:
- Owensboro, Aug. 30, 130 attendees
- Covington, Sept. 6, 70 attendees
- Ashland, Sept. 13, 71 attendees
- London, Sept. 27, 105 attendees
- Lexington, Oct. 11, 142 attendees
- Paducah, Oct. 25, 110 attendees
- Louisville, Nov. 8, 96 attendees
- Pikeville, Nov. 15, 190 attendees
- Bowling Green, Nov. 29, 116 attendees
The commission is compiling findings from the town hall meetings and will use the results to develop content for regional summits in fall 2024. In addition, each commission workgroup will use the findings to make an action plan to improve outcomes for Kentuckians.
Request a town hall meeting
If you are interested in inviting the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health to your community to discuss successes and barriers related to mental health in the courts and behavioral health systems, please request a town hall meeting by using the form below.