Judge Lerner-Wren's leadership in presiding over an innovative, grassroots, human-rights based court model is the fundamental key to the success of this court and the national implementation of this archetype.  Mental health courts improve public safety by reducing the recidivism rates of people with mental illnesses, reduce corrections costs by providing alternatives to incarceration, and improve the quality of life of people with mental illnesses by connecting them with treatment and preventing re-involvement in the criminal justice system. Because of her hard work and dedication to aiding the mentally ill, her efforts have resulted in assuring thousands of people with serious mental illnesses receive the treatment they need in order to attain and sustain recovery instead of becoming a permanent part of the criminal justice system. She has fostered hope for many, who had only known hopelessness and in doing so opened pathways to helping people find their life, a life in the mainstream of the community. 

Recipient of the 2015 National Council Excellence Award on Impact/ Leadership, Lerner-Wren continues to preside over the nation's first mental health court. Additionally, she continues to be an outspoken advocate for the mentally ill and ending the stigma surrounding mental health.