Mental health courts bill clears Senate

The state Senate voted 50-0 Monday for a bill that would create mental health courts.

Sen. Johnny Grant, R-Milledgeville, said people with mental problems make up a large percentage of inmates and are often there because of their problems, not because they lead criminal lifestyles.

"The concept behind mental health courts is treatment is better than jail," Grant said.

Pilot programs have shown that treatment of the mentally ill helps keep them out of jail, saving local governments money.

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