MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. – Commissioners Connie Hudson and Merceria Ludgood were recently recognized as Friends of the Court by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Alabama Chapter. Dr. Cindy Gipson, AltaPointe’s Associate Director of Crisis Services, delivered their awards at the Oct. 28 Mobile County Commission meeting.

The NAMI Alabama Awards acknowledge the dedication of individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the organization’s mission: to advocate, educate, and support people and families affected by mental illness so they can build better lives. NAMI-Alabama’s Friend of the Court Award recognizes individuals associated with efforts in the justice-involved arena who have shown exceptional advocacy and support to those going through the court process and have worked to support better treatment and solutions for people with mental illness.

Gipson explained they were nominated together as a “Dynamic Duo who are true mental health champions.”

District 1 Commissioner Merceria Ludgood was nominated for her local efforts to champion the Stepping Up Initiative and her decades of effort to prevent unnecessary incarceration and lessen recidivism through mental health programs. According to Gipson, “her unwavering commitment to supporting individuals facing mental health crises, has made a profound impact on the community.”

District 2 Commissioner Connie Hudson was nominated for her “passion for improving access to treatment for individuals living with mental illness, especially those who are justice-involved,” said Gipson, and for her support of mental health initiatives through her many years of elected office. Gipson touted her leadership in securing mental health clinicians at Community Corrections and in the 2023 launch of the new Mental Health Court.

Mobile County’s Mental Health Court, supported by the Mobile County Commission through American Rescue Plan Act funding, focuses on treatment through collaboration with mental health providers and shortens the time that individuals with mental illness spend in jail through program compliance monitoring.

Gipson also touted their support of Sequential Intercept Mapping to identify service gaps, co-response initiatives between law enforcement and clinicians, and Crisis Intervention Team training, which she said have led to better outcomes for individuals in crisis.

Gipson concluded her award presentation by sharing that the NAMI-Alabama’s Awards Committee described these two Commissioners as the most impressive nominees in the state.

Commissioners said:

“The justice system and mental health intersect far too frequently. It’s a distinct honor to do important work that offers alternatives to incarceration and directly impacts so many lives. I thank NAMI-Alabama for this recognition,” said District 1 Commissioner Merceria Ludgood.

“I’m delighted to be named a NAMI-Alabama Friend of the Court. Work to improve local mental health capacity and programs that help people get the treatment they need directly benefits, not only individuals and families but our entire community,” said District 2 Commissioner Connie Hudson.