(Mar. 12, 2015) Rebecca Louise Hyde, 41, was ordered to complete mental health court on Monday after she drove her car through the fence of an Idaho Elementary schoolyard in the middle of a psychiatric crisis (“Woman gets probation for crashing through playground fence,” Idaho Press Tribune, Mar. 10).
Despite her long history of mental illness, there were stretches of time where Hyde functioned very well. But last November, Hyde drove her car into an elementary school fence, nearly hitting 31 children.
“We are concerned for the community if she doesn’t get the help she needs,” Deputy Prosecutor Rosemary Emory told the Idaho Press Tribune.
Hyde’s sister said in court last November that a recent change of medication may have been to blame for Hyde’s mental health breakdown.
Sam Beus, Hyde’s attorney, doesn’t believe Hyde was trying to run over the children. “She doesn’t have a track record of being a threat to the community,” Beus said. “I think this case really does begin and end with Miss Hyde’s mental health.”
Judge Richard Bevan sentenced Hyde to five years’ probation, 40 hours of community service and completion of mental health court.
Hyde’s attorney is pleased with her sentence. “I have seen great things happen for people in mental health court who are severely disabled due to their mental illness,” he said.
Hyde’s case is an excellent example of mental health diversion at work – but the practice needs to be used more widely.
Fewer than half the US population lives in communities where the most basic methods of diverting people with severe mental illness from the criminal justice system are being used, according to a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center.
In a better world, people with untreated severe mental illness would get help before their symptoms resulted in law enforcement involvement or criminal prosecution. Until that day, jurisdictions that fail to use such uncontroversial tactics as mental health courts and law enforcement crisis intervention teams are failing their citizens who suffer from severe mental illness and their communities.
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Despite her long history of mental illness, there were stretches of time where Hyde functioned very well. But last November, Hyde drove her car into an elementary school fence, nearly hitting 31 children.“We are concerned for the community if she doesn’t get the help she needs,” Deputy Prosecutor Rosemary Emory told the Idaho Press Tribune.
Hyde’s sister said in court last November that a recent change of medication may have been to blame for Hyde’s mental health breakdown.
Sam Beus, Hyde’s attorney, doesn’t believe Hyde was trying to run over the children. “She doesn’t have a track record of being a threat to the community,” Beus said. “I think this case really does begin and end with Miss Hyde’s mental health.”
Judge Richard Bevan sentenced Hyde to five years’ probation, 40 hours of community service and completion of mental health court.
Hyde’s attorney is pleased with her sentence. “I have seen great things happen for people in mental health court who are severely disabled due to their mental illness,” he said.
Hyde’s case is an excellent example of mental health diversion at work – but the practice needs to be used more widely.
Fewer than half the US population lives in communities where the most basic methods of diverting people with severe mental illness from the criminal justice system are being used, according to a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center.
In a better world, people with untreated severe mental illness would get help before their symptoms resulted in law enforcement involvement or criminal prosecution. Until that day, jurisdictions that fail to use such uncontroversial tactics as mental health courts and law enforcement crisis intervention teams are failing their citizens who suffer from severe mental illness and their communities.
To comment, visit our Facebook page.
Visit our blog archive to read all our recent posts.