Nez Perce County Mental Health Treatment Diversion Courts
The Nez Perce County Mental Health Treatment Diversion Court serves participants suffering from severe and persistent mental illness, providing intensive outpatient treatment, medication management, and individual and group counseling.
This page covers the court’s weekly schedule, location, and Zoom details, the testing requirements and testing location, and the treatment providers and team members who support participants.
You will also find the eligibility requirements, the screening process, the referral form, and answers to frequently asked questions. Referrals are most often received from defense attorneys, probation officers, judges, and treatment providers.
Hon. Michelle Evans
Presiding Judge
P.O. Box 896
Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: 208-799-3050
Fax: 888-789-3193
Al Halsey
Court Coordinator
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 509-552-5864
Fax: 888-789-3193
Important Note
Prior to being accepted into any Treatment Diversion Court, the defendant must complete some MANDATORY evaluations and be "accepted" by the Team, Coordinator, Judge, and prosecutor. These forms are for informational purposes only. The official contract will be provided to your attorney upon completion of required evaluations.
Mental Health Court Schedule
- Staffing
Wednesdays, weekly, 7:30am – 8:30am
- Court Session
Wednesdays, weekly, 8:30am – 9:30am
- Location
1230 Main St, Courtroom 3
- Zoom Information
Meeting ID: 983 2002 7557
Passcode: 452440- Phases 1-2
Attends court weekly on Wednesdays
- Phases 3
Attends court the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month
- Phases 4-5
Attends court the 1st Wednesday of the month
Drug Testing
Mental Health Court requires random and frequent testing for all participants who are in the program. Testing occurs on a random basis on any day during the week, including weekends and holidays. Participants will call the UA line daily according to the procedure set by their program. All positive tests are sent in for confirmation.
- Location of Testing
Riverside Recovery, 1720 18th Ave. Lewiston, ID
- Time of Testing
2:00pm to 4:15pm
- Call in Time
8:30am
- Phone Number
484-357-1190
Participants may request to drug test at another location in District 2. Please reach out to Coordinator for more information.
What is Mental Health Court?
Mental Health Court is designed for high risk/high need offenders who are suffering from severe and persistent mental illness. Mental Health Court provides intensive outpatient treatment, medication management, individual and group counseling, increased supervision and weekly review hearings with the Mental Health Court Judge. Mental Health Court is designed to keep mentally ill offenders out of the prison system. Mental Health Court follows evidence based practice in the design and implementation of their programs. Participants are expected to follow program rules and participate in treatment. The length of the program ranges between 17-30 months long followed by a period of supervised probation at a minimum of 6 months. Upon graduation, participants may receive a reduction in sentence, dismissal or avoid imposition of sentence and/or prison (riders). Participants are subject to sanctions and incentives depending on their progress in the program.
When did the program start: 2007
Mental Health Court Team Members
- Judge Michelle Evans
- Prosecutor April Smith
Public Defender
- Joanna McFarland
Riverside Recovery
- Sara Bennett
- Bri Guier
- Amanda Hall
- Cynthia Ford
Idaho Department of Corrections Probation & Parole
- Emma Rudinger
Justice Services, Misdemeanor Probation
- Jacob Ralstin
Nez Perce County Sheriff Sergeant
- Jared Gurney
Treatment
Nez Perce County Mental Health Court currently partners with Riverside Recovery located at 1720 18th St. Lewiston. Upon initial application to Mental Health Court, the participant will meet with one of the counselors at Riverside Recovery for a mental health evaluation. Based upon the assessment recommendations and acceptance to the program, the participant will be assigned groups and an individual counselor. All participants must apply for Medicaid.
How to apply
Anyone may apply to Mental Health Court. Most referrals are received from defense attorney's, probation officers, judges, and treatment providers. In most cases a defendant's attorney will refer their client to the program. If you would like to refer your client to Mental Health Court, please review our eligibility requirements first, then fill out the referral form below and submit to [email protected]. If the defendant's case is out of county, please check with the coordinator first to see if they are accepting out of county cases at that time.