XXI, Sec. 20 Authorization for mental health court judges and new mental health courts

If a judge wants to start a new mental health court, they can't just begin on their own. They first have to send a request by email to the Administrative Office of the Courts, asking the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court to approve it. The Chief Justice must sign an official order giving that judge the authority to run a mental health court before the judge can start hearing cases in that role.

Once the judge gets approved, the court system's Specialty Courts office has to provide proper training to both the judge and the staff who will work in that mental health court. This makes sure everyone involved understands how to run the program correctly before it starts operating. In short, this rule sets up a two-step process: official approval from the top, then hands-on training, before any new mental health court can open its doors.