In early November, after completing an 18-month customized treatment program, 44-year-old Shane Barratt made history by becoming the first graduate of Winnipeg’s Mental Health Court. Barratt was arrested several times in 2011 as a result of undiagnosed bipolar disorder and was placed on the treatment plan and connected to community services. Barratt said that the program but his fate in his own hands and that his life is now “dramatically better.”
Specialized courts such as mental health courts and drug treatment courts are becoming more common across Canada. These courts are an innovative way to divert individuals experiencing mental health and/or addictions issues who have come into contact with the law away from the criminal justice system.
Read more about Barratt in the Winnipeg Free Press