Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced last week the graduation of a Davis resident Gary Wight, 41, from Yolo Superior Court’s Mental Health Court on Sept. 25.
Mental Health Court is a minimum 18-month, court-based treatment and monitoring system for adult offenders with serious mental illness. MHC is designed to increase the treatment engagement of the participants while reducing both arrests and jail time during and after their involvement and participation in the program.
The program is a collaborative effort between Yolo Superior Court and the county’s Probation, Health and Human Services Agency, Public Defender and District Attorney’s offices.
Wight’s parents, Linda and Tom Wight of Woodland, joined him for the graduation ceremony. Linda Wight regularly attended Mental Health Court hearings during the nearly two years her son participated in the program.
“The atmosphere in Mental Health Court is the best in the world! When an entire team is collaboratively working in support of the client, success is possible,” Linda Wight said at the graduation ceremony.
“There is no comparison between walking into this space and walking into a traditional criminal justice courtroom where the clients arrive in stripes and chains. Our family is most appreciative of being a part of this opportunity.”
Judge Janet Gaard, who presides over Mental Health Court, congratulated Wight for his successful completion of the program.
“Gary has been an inspiration to each of us on the MHC team, and he reminds all of us that, when we work together, we can do great things to help people improve their own lives and those of the people around them,” Gaard said.
Courtroom sketch artist Vicki Behringer volunteered to draw sketches of the graduation ceremony. They depict Gaard presenting Wight with his graduation certificate, and Wight’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Bret Bandley, addressing his former client at the graduation ceremony.
Bandley praised Wight “on his accomplishments and the great change I have seen in him while in MHC,” noting that he serves as a positive example for the other participants in this program to follow.
Reisig also commended Wight for his hard work during the 22 months he was in the program.
“Mental Health Court’s collaborative process results in increased treatment engagement for participants such as Mr. Wight, who gained valuable insight into his mental health along with the ability to better manage it,” Reisig said.
“This program has proved to be a successful way to address those suffering from mental illness who find themselves in the criminal justice system.”