Hudson, Ludgood Named Friends Of The Court

Mobile County Commissioners Connie Hudson and Merceria Ludgood were recently recognized as Friends of the Court by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Alabama Chapter. The awards acknowledge the dedication of individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the organization’s mission to advocate, educate and support people and families affected by mental illness so they can build better lives. They recognize individuals associated with efforts in the justice-involved arena who have shown exceptional advocacy and support to those going through the court process and have worked to support better treatment and solutions for people with mental illness. Ludgood was nominated for her local efforts to champion the Stepping Up Initiative and her decades of effort to prevent unnecessary incarceration and lessen recidivism through mental health programs. Hudson was nominated for her “passion for improving access to treatment for individuals living with mental illness, especially those who are justice-involved” and her leadership in securing mental health clinicians at the Mobile Community Corrections Center and in the 2023 launch of the Mobile County Mental Health Court.