The First Circuit's Mental Health Court will conduct its first graduation ceremony at noon today at the Hawai'i Supreme Court courtroom.

Ronald Labasan, Alexander Macgillivray and Anthony Merriweather are the first defendants to graduate from the Mental Health Court program, which provides nonviolent, mentally ill defendants with access to treatment services not available in prisons.

The goal of the program is to help defendants become mentally healthy members of the community, and to reduce the chances of repeat offenses.

Chief Justice Ronald Moon and presiding Mental Health Court Judge Michael Wilson will speak at the graduation.