Marietta, GA, Oct. 4, 2019 --- Superior Court Judge Mary Staley Clark was awarded the prestigious Tommy Day Wilcox Award at the Accountability Court training conference held in Athens, GA Sep. 15-18.  The award is given by the Georgia Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) to an individual who has contributed outstanding service to the Accountability Courts of Georgia.

The award is named after retired Bibb County Superior Court Judge Tommy Day Wilcox, who created the state’s first Drug Court in 1994. Presenting the award on behalf of the CACJ was Judge Tommy Day Wilcox and Cobb Superior Court Chief Judge Reuben Green.  Judge Staley Clark was honored for her contributions to the Cobb County Mental Health Court (MHC), which she implemented in April 2012.

“The reason our team is so exceptional, and our accountability court is a model statewide, is because we have an extraordinary leader in our judge,” states Randy Harris, Cobb Circuit Defender and MHC team member.  “Judge Staley Clark is tireless in her pursuit of excellence, and sets the highest standard for service to our accountability court participants, team members, and our local bench and bar.”

The Cobb MHC is a 24 is month minimum, voluntary, pre or post-plea, judicially supervised, treatment-based program for those individuals with a documented mental health diagnosis.  Cobb MHC currently has 25 participants, and has successfully graduated 46 participants since its inception.   

“I am honored to be recognized by my peers statewide who join me in serving our accountability courts,” states Judge Staley Clark.   “Accountability Courts are truly making a difference.  They are helping participants who would otherwise be trapped in a revolving door, address underlying issues causing them to offend, and helping them transform into productive members of society. I cannot think of a better way to serve our communities than by aiding in this effort and help restore lives to those who so desperately need our help.”

The Cobb County Mental Health Court strives to improve mental health, promote self-sufficiency, reduce recidivism, and offer cost effective alternatives to incarceration and hospitalization. A Mental Health Court represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between two systems that have traditionally not worked closely together - The Mental Health System and The Criminal Justice System. The program holds participants accountable while assisting them in achieving long term stability, becoming successful family/community members, and remain law abiding citizens. 

To learn more about the Cobb Mental Health Court, visit our website at:  www.cobbcounty.org/mentalhealthcourt.