Kansas City has had various specialty courts for more than 20 years. The new wellness court is the city’s latest attempt to reduce recidivism as well as better support people going through the legal system. Photo by peeterv via Getty Images
By Gabrielle Hays, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) News, Image: peeterv/Getty Images, February 7, 2025
A new Wellness Court in Kansas City, Missouri, is aiming to take a more comprehensive approach to cases involving substance use and mental illness.
The new specialty court is designed to merge the city’s separate mental health and drug courts, considering offenses alongside resources, treatment and a pathway out of the legal system.
Kansas City has had various specialty courts for more than 20 years. The new wellness court is the city’s latest attempt to reduce recidivism as well as better support people going through the legal system.
Kansas City Presiding Judge Courtney Wachal, who was appointed to the city’s domestic violence court a decade ago, oversees the new wellness court.
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