Westchester Medical Center has established what it’s calling a first-of-its-kind TeleCourt program in New York.
The idea is to make it possible for patients at Westchester Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Center to virtually attend mental hygiene hearings without leaving the hospital, giving them due process. The videoconferencing pilot program is a collaboration among Westchester Medical Center, the state Unified Court System and Mental Hygiene Legal Services. During TeleCourt hearings, which are held once a week, the patient, patient’s attorney, Mental Hygiene Legal Services and other personnel are present at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla in a courtroom designed setting, while the presiding judge and court reporter are at the courthouse.
