TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Feb 26, 2025

General Sessions Court Judge Sheila Bruce-Renfroe is seeking $800,000 in additional funding to expand the Shelby County Mental Health Court, which provides an alternative to incarceration for individuals with mental health diagnoses. According to Action News 5, Renfroe says the court has struggled to reorganize and re-energize since the pandemic, although it has continued to admit participants. In 2023, the Tennessee legislature allocated $5.7 million to mental health courts statewide, with Shelby County receiving $367,000. Additional local funding was redirected to jail repairs. With just 48 admissions in Fiscal Year 2023, Renfroe aims to increase capacity to 120 participants and improve program outcomes. She plans to request the additional funding from Shelby County commissioners according to the news station. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris expressed qualified support, saying, “I would love to invest more money in our mental health court and for me and the public it’s just function. Can we get more cases turned? Because I’m all for the investment, but I’m also for accountability.”