The Honorable Calvin Johnson, retired Chief Judge of the Orleans Parish Criminal
District Court, established the first Mental Health Treatment Court in the State of
Louisiana in 2002. By 2005, this Special Court was selected as one of four
demonstration courts in the Country. Prior to establishing the first Mental Health
Treatment Court, Judge Johnson served as Drug Court Judge from 1994 until 2002. As
Chief Judge at the time Hurricane Katrina struck, Judge Johnson directed proceedings
and maintained Court functions simultaneously across eight statewide locations.

Following his retirement from the bench in 2008, Judge Johnson was enlisted by the
Governor to serve as the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Human Service District
(MHSD), an agency created by the State legislature to oversee the delivery of publicly
funded, community based behavioral health services. Judge Johnson directed the
agency’s turnaround, leveraged new opportunities created by managed care and the
Affordable Care Act, and established an effective leadership team. In six years, he
moved the agency out of its dilapidated trailers, defined and enhanced its services, and
strategically positioned it as a model for health care reform and behavioral health
transformation. The MHSD is now a $30 million organization operating an array of
evidence based programs across three Parishes, including Assertive and Forensic
Community Treatment (ACT/FACT) teams, Multiple Systemic Therapy (MST),
Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Positive Parenting Programs (Triple P), Coordinated
System of Care (CSoC) and a 24/7 crisis response team which include crisis respite.

Judge Johnson retired from MHSD in April of 2014. Since his retirement he’s done
consulting work for Magellan Health Louisiana, Futures Education and The Council on
Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA). The consulting work for CADA specifically focused on
a Reentry program for those Justice involved with Behavioral Health issues. Judge
Johnson has worked with the Federal Monitors appointed by Judge Lance Africk of the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana around the issue of proper care
for defendants with mental health issues in the Parish prison. Judge Johnson served as
Criminal Justice Commissioner for the City Of New Orleans from 2016 to May of 2018.

Judge Johnson received his undergraduate degree from Southern University in Baton
Rouge in 1969, served four years in the United Stated Air Force, and then received his
Jurisdoctorate from Loyola Law School in 1978. He was Professor of Law at Loyola Law
School for nine years and Judge of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for
seventeen years.

He has received many awards in recognition of his commitment to working with
individuals involved in the criminal justice system through every aspect of their recovery, including job readiness, housing stability, and community service projects. He received
the Louis A. Martinet Award for Judicial Excellence, the ACLU Ben Smith Award for
Community Service, the Loyola Law School Alumni of the year award, the Children’s
Bureau of New Orleans Hero award, the Juvenile Justice for Youth Award, the Crime
Stoppers Award, Louisiana Bar Association President’s Award and the Young
Leadership Council Hero Award. He is the recipient of the La. Supreme Court Justice
Albert Tate Award for Judicial Excellence.

Judge Johnson remains on the faculty of the Loyola Law School.
Publications include New Orleans Data Center Index at Ten: Criminal Justice: Changing
Course on Incarceration