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STATE'S TO PROSECUTOR -- ATTORNEY GENERAL T.J. DONOVAN REPEATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE JUSTICE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE -- WHICH IS TRYING TO FIND A FIX -- TO A COMPLICATED PROBLEM: HOW TO BETTER HANDLE THE INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH CASES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. 19 SEC. IN THE LAST THREE YEARS - FY17 THESE ARE STATEWIDE NUMBERS PRETRIAL SERVICES ASSISTED A TOTAL OF 164 PEOPLE. FY18 387 PEOPLE. THROUGH THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF FY19 347 PEOPLE. WE THINK ABOUT HALF OF THOSE FOLKS SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESS PROSECUTORS -- AND THE STATE'S DEFENDER GENERAL ARGUE THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE BEDS IN MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES -- SOMETHING THE COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL HEALTH AGREES WITH I DO THINK WE CAN USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE FOR VERMONT ANOTHER CHANGE ATTORNEYS WANT TO SEE -- IS HOW THE STATE HANDLES HOMICIDE CASES WHERE THE DEFENDANTS ARE DEEMED INSANE. MANY -- ARE CONCERNED THAT NO NOTIFICATION IS GIVEN TO VICTIMS -- OR THE COURTS IF A VIOLENT OFFENDER RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT -- IS MOVED OR DISCHARGED, DUE TO HIPPA LAWS... SARAH GEORGE 11 SEC. THEY SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO KNOW WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMITTED SUCH AN AGGREGIOUS CRIME ON THEM IS BEING RELEASED BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND RIGHT NOW THAT DOESNT HAPPEN WINDSOR COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY DAVID CAHILL -- OFFERING A POTENTIAL SOLUTION... INCREASING THE CURRENT MANDATORY 90- DAY MENTAL HEALTH STAY UP TO THREE YEARS FOR PEOPLE DEEMED INSANE -- WHO'VE COMMITTED VIOLENT CRIMES... 6 SEC. THERE SHOULD BE NO ABILITY FOR THE PERSON TO LEAVE THE SECURE FACILITY WITHOUT A COURT REVIEW ALL WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING SURE THE CARE OF THE PATIENT - AND PUBLIC SAFETY - REMAIN TOP PRIORITIES. LIZ -- NOW THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE JUSTICE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SAY THEY'RE TAKING EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID TODAY INTO CONSIDERATION -- AND HOPE TO INTRODUCE NEW LEGISLATION DURING THE NEXT SESSION. LIVE I MONTPELIER, LS, NBC5 NEWS.

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"I can say without reservation that mental illness permeates our criminal justice system," said Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan. The state's top prosecutor repeated that message over and over again to the Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee on Thursday afternoon. The committee is trying to find a fix to a complicated problem: how to better handle the increase in mental health cases in the criminal justice system."In the last three years, pretrial services assisted a total of 164 people (in 2017). (In 2018, pretrial services assisted) 387 people. Through the first six months of (2019, pretrial services have assisted) 347 people. We think about half of those folks suffer from mental illness," said Donovan. Prosecutors and the state's defender general argued there needs to be more beds in mental health facilities, something the commissioner of mental health, Sarah Squirrell, agreed with. "I do think we can use this opportunity to move forward and make positive change for Vermont," said Squirrell. Another change attorneys want to see is how the state handles homicide cases where defendants are deemed insane. Many are concerned about the fact that no notification is given to victims or the courts if a violent offender receiving mental health treatment is moved or discharged, due to medical privacy laws. "(The victims) should be entitled to know when the individual who committed such an egregious crime on them is being released back into the community and right now that doesn't happen," said Chittenden County State's Attorney Sarah George. Windsor County State's Attorney David Cahill offered a potential solution: increasing the current mandatory mental health stay from 90 days up to three years for people deemed insane who have committed violent crimes. "There should be no ability for the person to leave the secure facility without a court review," said Cahill. The elected officials on the Justice Oversight Committee said they're taking everything said at Thursday's hearing into consideration with the hopes of introducing new legislation during the next session.