Stratton Quoted in Journal-News Story on Mental Health Courts

Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, of counsel in the Vorys Columbus office who prior to joining Vorys served as justice on the Supreme Court of Ohio for 16 years, was quoted in a Journal-News story titled “Butler County Leads by Example in Dealing with Mental Illness.”  The story highlighted the approach that Butler County government officials have taken to deal with an increased demand on mental health services. According to the story, there has been a 124 percent jump in the demand for services in the county during the past decade.

The story states:

“Probate Court Judge Randy Rogers is also blazing trails in the realm of civil commitments. The state has recognized that Rogers’ broad interpretation of the civil commitment law — allowing courts to commit someone with a severe mental illness for treatment against their will, even if they don’t pose and imminent threat to themselves or anyone else — is correct.

‘Butler County Probate Court has consistently interpreted the term in the old law, ‘subject to hospitalization by court order,’ to include all types of less restrictive settings consistent with the person’s treatment plan…,’ Rogers said.

Former Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton said Rogers and his court are a role model for the rest of the state.

‘I always commended him for being progressive and using the statute as I thought it was written and putting in a program that I thought was very successful and had some wonderful outcomes,” she said. “We have used him as our model in trying to make some changes that would make the statutory authority clear for judges.’”

To read the entire story, visit the Journal-News website. (Subscription may be required).