Johnson County celebrated the first graduate of its Behavioral Health Court at a ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Johnson County's Behavioral Health Court was launched in 2023 to provide treatment services and community supports to individuals in the criminal justice system with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, helping them successfully integrate back into the community and reducing the likelihood of future involvement with the criminal justice system.

At Thursday's ceremony, Judge Robert Wonnell of the Kansas 10th Judicial Court celebrated the graduate, Preston, telling him that his completion of the four-phase program represented the "first day of the best of your life."

Behavioral Health Court participants attend court hearings every two weeks or monthly to review their progress and celebrate their successes. They meet regularly with a probation officer and a Johnson County Mental Health Center case manager, who helps them engage in treatment, set goals, find stability and work toward long-term recovery.

Wonnell, who presides over Behavioral Health Court, said Thursday's graduation would not have been possible without a collaborative effort from many partners, including District Court, the District Attorney's Office, Johnson County Mental Health Center and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

"Years ago, we came together and asked if there was something we could do as a court and as a team to come alongside individuals who have a serious mental illness to help them successfully complete their probation and be in a position for this time to be the last time they're ever in the justice system," said Wonnell. "To now have an individual who has successfully graduated, it's an accomplishment for the team and the individual, but it's also motivation to keep offering this program."

Behavioral Health Court is Johnson County's third specialized treatment court. In 2016, Johnson County launched the first treatment court for veterans in Kansas. 83 veterans have since graduated from Veterans Treatment Court, including four graduates honored at a ceremony in June. Adult Drug Treatment Court, which also launched in 2023, celebrated its first two graduates at a ceremony in May.