Illinois panel featuring film on mental illness and courts

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Mental Health Task Force and the chief justice of the Supreme Court will conduct a screening of a new documentary on mental illness and criminal justice.

Chief Justice Ann Burke will join the task force Tuesday for a presentation of 'œThe Definition of Insanity'ť followed by a family panel discussion from 3 to 5 p.m.

Participants in the virtual session must register.

The documentary is about the Miami-Dade Criminal Mental Health Project in Florida which follows a team of professionals working through the courts to support defendants who are mentally ill as they wend through the phases of incarceration to recovery.

Patti Tobias of the National Center for State Courts will moderate a panel discussion featuring family members of people with mental illness and their interactions with the justice system. Their topics will include civil commitment and competency to stand trial.