Mental Heath Practice Advisory

A significant number of people charged with criminal offenses suffer from a mental illness. When these defendants are poor and appointed to a public defender, the odds are even greater, since access to mental health care is largely affected by income level and access to insurance. In order to better serve defendants, lawyers, and the Louisiana community, the Louisiana Justice Coalition partnered with Louisiana Appleseed and the Louisiana Public Defender Board to create a meaningful resource for defenders representing clients with mental illness.

Disclaimer: This resource is not a substitute for legal counsel.

This resource was made possible through grants by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Louisiana Appleseed) and Louisiana Bar Foundation (Louisiana Justice Coalition and Louisiana Appleseed).

The Mental Health Practice Advisory, 'Representing the Mentally Ill: A Resource for Louisiana Defenders", is available HERE