Two Fayette County district judges are working to more fully develop a juvenile treatment court in Lexington. Judges Melissa Moore Murphy and Lindsay Hughes Thurston took their case to the Lexington city council’s General Government and Social Services Committee last week.
Murphy said the aim is early intervention to address mental health issues in young people. “In my juvenile docket I have often, that has been the main request, is that the family needs mental health treatment, the child needs mental health treatment because they just don’t know what’s going on,” said Murphy.
Thurston said the term juvenile treatment court is being used to avoid any stigma regarding mental health for young people. The district judge said a request is being made for city funding to help further the new court. Thurston noted addressing mental health issues may help prevent additional status offenses by youth. “So weekly based on what we have seen every day that if we create a program an initiative to be laser focused in on those needs early on, we will be able to prevent a lot of public offense, those status offenses that are currently being committed by our youth,” explained Thurston.
Lexington City Council Member Richard Moloney suggested the judges also approach the Fayette School system for monetary support.
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