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EVENTS
Welcome to our EVENTS page. We are glad you stopped by!
3rd Symposium: Criminal Justice/Mental Health | October 2, 2026
KEYNOTE
Eric Smith
- Nationally Acclaimed Public Speaker, a Leading Voice in Mental Health Advocacy,
- Commissioner, Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health,
- Owner Founder of Eric W.T. Smith Consulting,
- Member of Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance Board of Directors, and
- Member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Texas Public Policy Committee.
- LINK ericwtsmith.com
"Thank you to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Legal Defenders Association of Utah, Utah Shattering Silence Coalition, and the Utah Coalition for Severe Mental Illness for hosting this event," Eric stated on a post on LinkedIn about this symposium.
Eric responded, "I’m grateful when psychiatrists and others make time to listen to what I have to say and exchange ideas for making things better."
Sim Gill, District Attorney of Salt Lake County
"My proposal, what my hypothesis is, is to create, for the first time ... a meaningful civil commitment court," Sim Gill, DA, said.
The goal is to have open and continued dialogue regarding alternatives to incarcerating people suffering from a severe mental illness while still maintaining protection for the public.
Sherri Wittwer, Director of Utah Coalition For Severe Mental Illness
"We need to develop true alternatives to incarceration and develop civil processes to implement what already exists in statute. Leaving people on the street and depending on local jails to be the "healthcare provider of choice….is neither effective nor cost-effective," Sherri Wittwer, MPA, said.
Debra Widmer, Director of Utah Shattering Silence Coalition
"We have to ask, how did a serious medical illness become a criminal justice matter?" Debra Widmer, BSRC, RRT, CPHQ, said in her opening remarks.
Debra also said, "it's not about choosing compassion over public safety, while adding that a person doesn't choose psychosis and that treatment and recovery are possible."
2nd Symposium: Criminal Justice/Mental Health | May 6, 2026
KSL.com
Salt Lake County DA, Mayor, Mental Health Professionals, and Families
'He'll have to get much sicker':
Families call for 'treatment before tragedy' for severely mentally ill
06 MAY 26
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & MENTAL HEALTH
"Research shows that when we have family members that are engaged and involved, we have better outcomes for not only our community but also the person we're trying to take care of," District Attorney, Sim Gill said. "Each person represents a human being worthy of dignity and respect. And tied to them is also often a family member in crisis who loves them, cares about them (and) wants to support them."
1st Symposium: Criminal Justice/Mental Health | September 24, 2025
