In April 2016, the Nebraska Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, legislation broadening the definitions of problem-solving courts to include Reentry, Veterans, Mental Health, Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and other problem-solving courts. In response, the Nebraska Supreme Court Committee on Problem-Solving Courts appointed a Mental Health Court Subcommittee to establish implementation plans that included the development of best practice standards for Mental Health Courts.

The workgroup reviewed relevant evaluations and other research conducted on existing Mental Health Courts. Following the review, the workgroup formulated and drafted best practice standards. The proposed standards were submitted for extensive local and national review.

The final steps of the review involved the submission of the proposed standards to the members of the Nebraska Supreme Court Committee on Problem-Solving Courts. On April 3, 2020, the Nebraska Mental Health Court Best Practice Standards were submitted to the Committee for final review. At that time, the Committee voted unanimously to approve the standards and recommended the Nebraska Supreme Court adopt the Nebraska Mental Health Court Best Practice Standards.

On April 22, 2020, the Nebraska Supreme Court approved the Nebraska Mental Health Court Best Practice Standards.  

The Nebraska Mental Health Court Standards can be found at https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/Programs/psc/2020-NE-Mental-Health-Ct-Standards.pdf