On January 10, 2013, the Boards of Directors of the Illinois Association of Drug Court Professionals (IADCP) and the Mental Health Court Association of Illinois (MCHAI) voted to dissolve their individual associations and merge their membership to form the Illinois Association of Problem-Solving Courts (ILAPSC). The mission of ILAPSC is “to promote Problem-Solving Courts in Illinois by providing education, assistance, training and development through collaboration of behavioral health and justice systems.”
The critical factors in reaching this decision are that most Problem-Solving Court teams are comprised of the same professionals, their Court populations have a high percentage of co-occurring disorders and their Courts share similar philosophies. The Boards also considered that a larger association will allow for consolidation of scarce resources, allow for greater cross-education and networking opportunities and amplify and clarify the voices of consumers and their families.
The ILAPSC Board is hopeful that professionals involved in DUI, Veterans and Prostitution Courts will join the association. The Board strongly believes that all Problem-Solving Courts, no matter their size or focus, must have a venue to share their issues and concerns. The ILAPSC will greatly benefit from the experience and insight of these Courts.
The Officers and Members of the Board of Directors of ILAPSC represent counties from throughout the State of Illinois. They serve in a variety of positions in their respective Courts including members of the judiciary, attorneys, probation officers, substance abuse and mental health professionals and members of other agencies and associations including NAMI and TASC.