Cobb to Create Mental Health Court

The Cobb Board of Commissioners gave the green light to funding the county’s first mental health court Tuesday.

The board voted 3-2 to accept a state grant to create the mental health court, with commissioners Helen Goreham and Bob Ott opposed.

The new court will be overseen by Cobb Superior Court Judge Mary Staley, using a $53,615 state grant commissioners accepted for the remainder of the fiscal year through June 30, said county chairman Tim Lee.

Lee said the current grant can pay for 10 participants, but it is uncertain whether a second grant will be given to the county for the next fiscal year until more state guidelines come out in June.

Last year, the state gave $353,676 in grants to 20 courts including the Cobb Family Dependency Treatment Court and Cobb Juvenile Drug Court, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.