Our Mental Health Crisis with Judge Echo Hutson

Game Changers with Jeff Newkirk

Welcome to Game Changers with Jeff Newkirk, where we speak with people who have done something to make this world a better place. It’s simple: inspire, educate, and let’s go change this world!

On today’s episode, Jeff welcomes guest, Judge Echo Hutson, who serves in Montgomery County in Texas in Law 4. Echo has experience in misdemeanor criminal cases, along with domestic violence and mental health court. She has a strong passion for these fields and loves to speak on domestic violence and mental health. One event she helps lead is called, “Flowers on the Lake.” Every October at sunset, they lay down carnations on the lake for the number of the year (so this year will be 2,024). They partner with multiple centers and these flowers represent the number of victims and survivors of domestic violence in their community. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will be affected by domestic violence in their lifetimes. Echo lives in the Montgomery area with her husband and youngest son, and her oldest son, Austin, is a cyber-security engineer in the army. For fun, she likes to sing and play in a band called, “Benny and the Montague!”

First, Echo shares how she started in the district attorney’s office and had to learn about victims of domestic violence and co-occurring mental health issues. The goal is to find the correct punishment, to see that justice is done, and to find the right thing for these individuals. The first hearing for individuals is at 9 AM every day and they look for evidence or flags of a mental health disorder. The state of Texas is present along with a probation officer. She is not a licensed mental health professional, but she has learned many facts about mental health on the job. The worst thing that could happen is they incarcerate someone with a serious condition or do the opposite. She has had major disagreements, but they always involve a licensed mental health professional for their professional opinions.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness and a recent presentation from Echo, 1 in 5 Americans live with a mental health condition. 21.1% of people experiencing homelessness have a serious mental health condition. 33.5% of US adults with mental illness also experience a substance abuse disorder. 8.3% of adults have a major depressive episode and 19% of US adults have an anxiety disorder. Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the US, and 90% of people who die by suicide may have had a mental health condition. 79% of suicides are males and suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in 10-14 year olds. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in 15-24-year-olds. 2 in 5 people who are incarcerated have a history of mental health issues and out of 50,000 veterans in local jails, 55% have a mental health disorder.

Mental illness is a wide range of things that can affect mood or behavior, but mental disorders are more severe conditions. There is an overrepresentation of mental disorders in the criminal justice system among those in the general population. For example, schizophrenia is an overrepresentation in the criminal justice system but is present in less than 1% of the general population. 2.8% of the population has bipolar disorder and 3.6% has PTSD. People come from traumatic situations and i

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