A local judge has been named co-chair of a statewide judicial task force charged with implementing reforms to more effectively address the behavioral health issues of justice-involved individuals.
Hon. Matthew D’Emic, Administrative Judge for Criminal Matters, Kings County Supreme Court, will lead the New York State Judicial Task Force on Mental Illness with co-chair, Hon. Jacqueline Sisson, Canandaigua City Court judge and acting Ontario Family and County Court judge. In addition, all members of the Task Force’s panel are now in place, representing a diverse and deeply experienced group of judges, lawyers, mental health experts and others from around the State.
The new Task Force assignments are in line with the work of the Conferences of Chief Justices and State Court Administrators’ (CCJ/COSCA) National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness, which issued its report after a multi-year effort by over 40 judges, courts and national behavioral health experts. The report and its expansive recommendations emphasize the unique role that state courts and judicial leaders can play as conveners, with community and governmental partners, to close the gap between the behavioral health and justice systems in addressing the needs of justice-involved individuals with mental illness. The State’s new mental health task force, which was originally envisioned by former Acting Chief Judge Anthony Cannataro, will examine the current landscape and advance improvements to the justice system’s responses to children, youth and adults with behavioral health disorders as well as the need to more effectively address the criminal justice system’s treatment of those with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson and Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas say Judges D’Emic and Sisson are uniquely positioned in their respective roles to carry out this mission. Judge D’Emic has been the presiding judge of the State’s first mental health court in Brooklyn and also served on the national task force. Judge Sisson is a presiding judge of a mental health treatment court in northern New York.
“I am incredibly honored to co-chair this important statewide judicial task force with Judge D’Emic. This Task Force is charged with implementing critically important reforms that we know impact a majority of justice-involved individuals. We will work to carry out the national task force’s recommendations and with the dedication and hard work of our exceptional task force members, find innovative and effective ways for our courts to better respond to mental illness. As a presiding Mental Health Treatment Court judge in upstate New York, I have seen firsthand the need for the initiatives to be undertaken by this Task Force and the potential benefits to the individuals, families and communities in which they reside. I would like to thank Chief Judge Wilson and Chief Administrative Judge Zayas for selecting me to assist in this innovative and critical mission,” said Judge Sisson.
Judicial Task Force on Mental Illness
Hon. Ross P. Andrews, Judge, Syracuse City Court
Alexander Sasha Bardey, M.D., President, Fifth Avenue Forensics and Director of Forensic Psychiatry, Nassau County Department of Health, Chemical Dependency and Intellectual Disabilities
Kristila Brace, Psy.D., Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations, NYC Dept.of Health and Mental Hygiene
Alison Burke, Vice President, Regulatory and Professional Affairs, Greater NY Hospital Assn.
Hon. F. Scott Carrigan, Acting County Court Judge, Suffolk County
Christine Edwards, Esq., Chief Counsel, OCA Office for Justice Initiatives, Division of Policy and Planning
Virginia Fineran, Ph.D., Clinical Director, Mental Health, Correctional Health Services, Rikers Island, NYC Health and Hospitals
Carol Fisler, Esq., Consultant, Criminal Justice and Mental Health Collaborations
Tricia George, Director, Diversion Center, Division of Forensic Services, NYS Office of Mental Health
Hon. Doris M. Gonzalez, Administrative Judge for Civil Matters, Bronx County Supreme Court
Peter D. Guarino, LCSW, Deputy Directory, Ontario County Mental Health Center
Hon. David J. Gugerty, Supreme Court Justice, Nassau County
Patricia Hernandez, LCSW, Director, Metro Region, Corporation for Supportive Housing
Hon. Marcia Hirsch, Acting Supreme Court Justice, Queens County
David Kelly, Esq., Chief, Mental Health Unit, Kings County District Attorney’s Office
Colleen A. King, Esq., Supervising Attorney, Mental Health Team, Brooklyn Defender Services
Leanne Lapp, Esq., Ontario County Public Defender
Li-Wen Lee, M.D., Associate Commissioner, Division of Forensic Services, NYS Office of Mental Health
Joan Levenson, Esq., Special Counsel to the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for NYC Courts
Deanna Logan, Esq., Director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice
Ann-Marie Louison, LCSW, Chief Impact Officer, CASES
Hon. Janet Malone, Supreme Court Justice, Westchester County
Hon. Juan Merchan, Acting Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Hon. Anne E. Minihan, Administrative Judge, Ninth Judicial District
Hon. Valentina Morales, Judge, New York City Criminal Court
Ruth O’Sullivan, LCSW, Project and Clinical Director, Brooklyn Mental Health Court
Hon. Seth Peacock, Presiding Judge, Ithaca Wellness and Recovery Court
Hon. James Ritts, Ontario County District Attorney
Merrill Rotter, M.D., Senior Forensic Advisor to the Commissioner, NYS Office of Mental Health
Hon. Keri E. Savona, Ulster County Family Court Judge and Acting Supreme Court Justice, Coordinating Judge of Specialty Courts for the Third Judicial District
Hon. Toko Serita, Acting Supreme Court Justice and Statewide Coordinating Judge for Problem-Solving Courts, OCA Office for Justice Initiatives, Division of Policy and Planning
Hon. Carol Sharpe, Supreme Court Justice, New York County
Sheila Shea, Esq., Director, Mental Hygiene Legal Services, Third Judicial Dept.
Hon. Madeline Singas, Associate Judge, NYS Court of Appeals
Lisa C. Smith, Esq., Chief Counsel for Family Violence Matters, OCA Office for Justice Initiatives, Division of Policy and Planning
Brian Stettin, Senior Advisor on Severe Mental Illness, NYC Mayor’s Office
Chief Theresa Tobin, Ph.D., Chief of Interagency Operations, NYPD
Hon. Kelly Vacco, Supreme Court Justice, Eighth Judicial District
Kimberly VanCamp, Mental Health Court Coordinator, Seventh Judicial District and Project Director, Monroe County Supreme and County Courts
Hon. John Zhuo Wang, Presiding Judge, Midtown Community Court
Patricia Warth, Esq., Director, NYS Office of Indigent Legal Services
