NILES — Dressed in a crisp brown suit and matching dress shoes, Benton Harbor’s Douglas Meadows shook the hand of Berrien County Judge Scott Schofield Friday as he accepted a certificate of completion from the Berrien/Cass County Regional Mental Health Court.

Meadows was one of five other graduates from the program to be recognized by judges across Berrien and Cass counties, as well as numerous law officers and State Sen. John Proos during the program’s second annual celebration ceremony. A sixth graduate was not able to attend Friday, but also was recognized for completing the program. To celebrate the graduates, a ceremony took place at the Berrien County Trial Court in Niles.

Initially, Douglas said he did not believe that the program would be worth his time. But a year in mental health court taught him otherwise.

“They really showed me they cared. The prison cares, the judges care and the court cares,” Meadows said. “I had a lot of support from the staff.”

Friday marked the largest number of graduates ever to complete the regional program, as well as the 114th graduate, including the absent individual, to successfully complete Mental Health Court.

Cass County circuit court Judge Mark Herman addressed the crowd of more than 50 family, friends and law officers there to celebrate.

“You learn from your mistakes,” Herman said. “It has been amazing to see how much these individuals have grown.”

The Regional Mental Health Court Program was initiated in Berrien County in 2008. The aim was to help those in the legal system, who also battle mental health issues have access to an individualized program, where they could work with court staff and mental health professionals to find treatment and support. The program also seeks to address substance abuse issues.

In 2014, Cass County joined the program, further increasing the number of people who could utilize and compete the program.

Tom Pabreza, a mental health court case manager for Cass County residents in the program, spent the afternoon Friday shaking hands and congratulating graduates.

“The program gives them the tools to better manage their lives and behaviors,” Pabreza said.

Proos’ opening remarks also congratulated graduates and added that the role of a court in the community was to do more than punish people for crimes.

“We in the state of Michigan are really seeking to have our courts be problem solving institutions,” Proos said.

Statewide, the Mental Health Court program, which has 20 available programs throughout Michigan, has successfully reduced graduates’ recidivism rate to 4 percent 12 months after graduation, according to the Michigan Courts government website. Recidivism rates for those who do not utilize the program is 22 percent, the site stated.

For Douglas, attending the program gave him more than the tools for attending to his mental health.It also inspired him to help others facing similar issues.

Douglas is now a regular volunteer at the Mi-Journey Mental Health Recovery Center in Benton Harbor, where he lends a hand in everything from mopping the floor to helping to support and coach others in the facility suffering from mental health issues.

As he accepted his certificate, Douglas reflected on his journey and turned to Judge Schofield to thank him.

“Thank you for your sound advice, not some of the time but all of the time,” Douglas said.