Dear Judge:

As the Co-Chairs of the Judges’ Criminal Justice / Mental Health Leadership Initiative (JLI) we are writing to invite you to attend the next meeting of the JLI and join the JLI Listserv.  You are receiving this message because you have been identified as having an interest in mental health and criminal justice issues or have previously attended meetings of the JLI.  If you do not wish to be part of the Listserv please send an email by clicking here.

Judges’ Criminal Justice / Mental Health Leadership Initiative (JLI)
Supported jointly by the TAPA Center for Jail Diversion and the Council of State Governments, the JLI 1) provides support to judges involved in criminal justice / mental health partnerships and 2) encourages other judges to work with their state or local mental health systems to improve options for individuals with mental illness in contact with the criminal justice system.  This JLI Listserv, along with the JLI Quarterly Newsletter and soon to be launched JLI Web site, provides a forum for judges to share and receive information relevant to their work with individuals with mental illness.

3rd Annual JLI Meeting at GAINS 2006 National Conference
This initial posting focuses on the Third Annual National Meeting of the JLI to be held on April 5 at Boston’s Park Plaza Hotel, site of the 2006 GAINS Conference.  For an overview of the last annual meeting please click here.

This meeting will provide an opportunity for judges to network, receive updates of all JLI activities, and hear from experts including A. Kathryn Power, Director of the federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS).  You can view the full agenda for the Third Annual JLI National Meeting by clicking here.

After the JLI meeting, a welcoming reception for all GAINS conference attendees will follow.  Additionally, the three-day conference will feature a number of sessions relevant to members of the bench, many of which will be led by judges themselves.  Abstracts for the conference’s 145 sessions are now available. Click here to scan the conference schedule and register.

Please join us for the conference reception on April 5th. Due to federal rules prohibitting the GAINS Center from providing food at conferences it is now nesseccary for us to charge a small fee for this event. Tickets are available through the GAINS Conference Website for $18 until March 24. 

We hope to see you all in Boston on April 5-7 for the Third Annual National Meeting of the JLI and the 2006 GAINS National Conference.  If you have any questions about either event, please contact Adam Kirkman at (866) 518-8272 or akirkman@prainc.com.

Justice Evelyn Stratton
Supreme Court of the State of Ohio

Judge Steven Leifman
11th Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida