LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville judge pushed for more mental health courts across the state on Monday.
Judge Stephanie Burke spoke at the annual "Spirit of Peace" dinner hosted by NAMI Louisville; it's a group that supports people with mental illness.
In 2019, she created the first program in Kentucky to provide court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment.
Burke told WHAS11 News programs like that help break the cycle of hospitalization and incarceration.
"We need to stop the senseless over-incarceration of the mentally ill in our community," she said. "Unfortunately because of lack of other options for these individuals, they often end up in jail, and that's just not the appropriate place for them."
Burke said funding for mental health courts was cut in the current Kentucky House budget, so they're advocating to have that funding restored in the Senate.
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