Key Takeaways:

Baltimore ‘s mental health court offers treatment instead of jail for eligible participants.

Graduates credit the program with helping them gain independence and life skills.

The court has seen more than 500 graduates since its 2010 founding.

Judges and probation agents highlight treatment, accountability and growth at ceremonies.

Arianna Santos was 18 when she “got in trouble” about three years ago.

She didn’t say what kind of trouble, but she said she had anger problems, and the issue landed her in court. A judge deemed her incompetent to stand trial due to an intellectual disability, but also decided she was not a threat to the community. So she went to the Baltimore City District Court ‘s mental health court.

Through the process, Santos spent six months at th

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