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A mental health court contract between Washington County Mental Health Court and Robert Fries with Fries & Fries P.C. was consider on Monday during the weekly Washington County Commissioners meeting.

The agreement states that Fries and Fries will provide legal services for the County’s Mental Health Court program, which includes employees as well as applicants and participants in the program. Commissioner Mitch Antle said the court system is contracting with the same entity they contracted with last year.

Last week, the Commissioners approved the first contract for the Washington County Mental Health Court itself. That contract was with the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health. The contract between the County’s Mental Health Court and Fries & Fries was approved for $750 per month.

Commissioner Antle said the price is incredibly low and he thinks it is very gracious of Fries & Fries to offer services at that low of a price. He said it is a unique situation that will grow over time, and that the efficacy of the court for that particular community sentencing group will determine whether it continues or not.

It will also determine whether or not it is funded by the State of Oklahoma. Commissioner Antle said there is a bit of a dispute between the Department of Mental Health and the State Auditor and Inspector's Office on whether or not the Washington County Commissioners (as for any county) should review mental health court contracts.

The ODMH does not contract with the Commissioners, but rather with the District Court themselves. The State Auditor and Inspector, however, argues that since the money for the services comes from the Commissioners' coffers, the Department has to contract with the Board of Commissioners. Therefore, the Commissioners run the contract through their meeting minutes after the District Court signs off on the contract.