Maricopa County opens first mental health court in West Valley

PHOENIX — The first Maricopa County Mental Health Court in the West Valley was opened on Thursday.

The civil court, located inside the Valleywise Behavioral Health Center in Maryvale near 51st and Campbell avenues, was opened with the intention of making it easier for patients to receive treatment and answers without the burden of travel.

There are existing mental health courts at Valleywise centers in Mesa and east Phoenix.

“Having it right in the facility is better for the person undergoing the evaluation, the doctors who have to testify in the proceedings and the other support folks who are a part of the process,” Gene Cavallo, vice president of behavioral health at Valleywise, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Thursday.

Chairman @ClintLHickman & Supervisor @Steve_Gallardo helped open new mental health court at Maryvale Behavioral Health Center. A court room at the hospital means patients won’t have to be transported to hearings while undergoing court-ordered treatment. @valleywise_az @courtpio pic.twitter.com/A5PundqSLP

— Maricopa County (@maricopacounty) February 6, 2020

Cavallo said that patients will have to spend less time waiting to see a judge with the addition of the third court.

That mean facilities should be able to operate more efficiently moving forward, Cavallo said.

The Maryvale center will have the most beds for adult psychiatric treatment of the three facilities with 192 after more floors are opened later this year.

The Mesa facility has 126 beds while the east Phoenix location has 93 beds.

“Having this third one really allows us to evaluate and ultimately treat people in all three parts of the Valley,” Cavallo said.

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