JCMH Staff and Executive Committee

Our Mission

The mission of the Judicial Commission on Mental Health is to engage and empower court systems through collaboration, education, and leadership, thereby improving the lives of individuals with mental health needs, substance use disorders, or intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health Leaders Share Deep Ties to Texas Law

This spring, the University of Texas School of Law will welcome back one of its most distinguished alumni to deliver the commencement address—Texas Supreme Court Justice Jane Bland. Justice Bland, a Co-Chair of the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH), is a proud double Longhorn who earned both her undergraduate business degree and law degree at UT. As she prepares to celebrate her 35th law school anniversary, her return marks a full-circle moment.

Read the article!

2025 Judicial Summit on Mental Health

Apply to Host a Resource Booth

This year, JCMH is bringing back Resource Booths at the Summit! These booths will feature non-profit, state, and community organizations that work to help people and communities at the intersection of mental health, IDD, and the justice system in Texas.

A designated area will be set up with tables for each organization to display information, materials, or other resources beneficial to Summit stakeholders. Organizations are welcome to have representatives at their table to discuss the mental health resources that they offer.

Application Deadline: Monday, July 7, 2025

Resource Booth Application

Rural Communities: Apply for a SIM Mapping!

The JCMH will provide adult or juvenile SIM Mapping Workshops free of charge to selected rural communities in 2025. There are no fees for registration, tuition, or materials associated with the workshops. The JCMH will cover all costs associated with workshop planning and coordination, facilitator time, analysis, and report development.

A SIM mapping workshop brings a community together to assess available resources, determine gaps in services, and plan for change. “Readiness for change” is a critical element in determining whether a SIM mapping workshop will fit the needs of a community. To determine a community’s readiness for change, the community must self-assess how well its mental health, criminal or juvenile justice systems, and substance use services are integrated. This self-assessment will help the JCMH adjust the workshop to fit each community’s needs.

Rural SIM Application

Congratulations to the second JCMH Treatment Courts Collaborative Cohort

Four judges successfully completed the JCMH’s Treatment Courts Collaborative, a program which pairs judges who are interested in creating or expanding a treatment court with mentor judges who have an established court in their own jurisdiction. The JCMH began the second cohort of the Treatment Courts Collaborative (formerly the Mental Health Courts Collaborative) in January 2025. The Collaborative provides technical assistance and support to judges who want to start a Treatment Court Program or judges whose Treatment Court Program is less than a year old.

Participants attended four online sessions in early 2025 covering the topics: the role of treatment courts, data and funding in treatment courts, treatment court ethics, and peer support in treatment courts.

Press Release

We are excited to welcome you to Houston for the 8th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health

Registration is OPEN!

The 8th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health will be held October 7-8, 2025, at the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria in Houston, Texas. Capacity for our in-person conference is limited. Those who are not able to attend the conference in person will have the opportunity to live-stream the event from their home or office. Attending the 2025 Judicial Summit on Mental Health provides an opportunity to engage with expert speakers and explore specialized presentations that will help you navigate complex mental health laws. It offers a valuable platform for professionals from all sectors to collaborate, share insights, and develop solutions to better address mental health challenges in Texas.

Register for the Summit