This May, we’re recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month. The following interview features Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning Chair, Justice Kathryn Zenoff, who shares her thoughts on her role, behavioral health in the courts, and more.
Please explain how you came to be named as Chairperson of the Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning.
In 2008-2009, in Illinois and nationally our justice system was experiencing an overrepresentation of people with serious mental illnesses in our jails, prisons, and in our courtrooms. About that time, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Human Rights held hearings for the first time on a national topic: “Human Rights at Home: Mental Illness in our Jails and Prisons.” Having witnessed and experienced the impact of mental illness in the courtroom, I actively sought opportunities to address this issue through studying innovative solutions such as problem-solving courts as well as cross-sector and intergovernmental educational opportunities, even having had an opportunity to testify before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee. Our Illinois Supreme Court was attuned to the courts’ role in responding to individuals with mental illness, and in 2010 created the Special Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning (JMHP). I was honored to be named as the Chairperson and have served in that role since then, leading a committee of now 29 judges from all over the state.
The Committee was originally charged with studying, reviewing, and collaborating on issues and matters related to mental illness and the court system and since then it has also taken on stewardship of the Court’s Mental Health Action Plan. For those interested, the Action Plan is available on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Leading Change: Mental Health Webpage.
Looking back at the Committee’s efforts, what are some of its notable achievements?
The Committee’s “legacy accomplishments” have included the development of Standards for problem-solving courts, which were approved by the Supreme Court in 2015 and revised in 2019. The Standards include a certification process for all problem-solving courts in the state and the committee has assisted in reviewing applications leading to certification of all 122 problem solving courts. To promote adherence to statutory requirements, we also drafted uniform orders for trial courts to use in civil commitment proceedings, which were approved by the Supreme Court. In 2019, revisions were made by the Committee and adopted by our Supreme Court to Rule 296 regarding the shackling of respondents in civil commitment proceedings. And more recently, we partnered with the Judicial College to facilitate a 6-part CLE series on Civil Mental Health Proceedings.
What are the Committee’s current priorities and what more do you hope to accomplish?
Current priorities include implementation of the Illinois Mental Health Task Force’s Action Plan. Our committee has realigned its subcommittees to facilitate that important work. Our focus includes looking at ways to improve the competency/fitness to stand trial process and procedures in our state, developing a problem-solving court training curriculum, and developing a Uniform Mental Health Order for Detention and Examination, to name a few of our current priorities and goals. Both William Blundell, the PSC Manager in the State, and Scott Block, the State Court Behavioral Health Administrator, have been of invaluable assistance in focusing on this work.
May is recognized nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month. What does this mean to you?
While the work of JMHP goes on all year round, the month of May, Mental Health Awareness month, gives us all the opportunity to share the challenges and rewards of working in this space. While the courts have accomplished much in the last 15-20 years to increase the judicial branch’s understanding of mental illness, there is still stigma surrounding mental illness, and work to be done in reducing that stigma. I am reminded of the wise words of the late Frank Ware, CEO of Janet Wattles, a former community mental health center in Rockford. He had as his watchword, “See the person, not the illness.” That advice still resonates with me and hopefully with all of us.