(A)(1)(a) Except as provided in item (2), each circuit solicitor may establish a mental health court program under one of the formats defined in § 14-31-30. An offender arrested or convicted for any charges, except those excluded under the provisions of § 16-1-130, who are suffering from a diagnosed, or diagnosable mental illness, including those with a co-concurring disorder of substance abuse, may be eligible for referral to a mental health court program. In cases involving victims, proper notice shall be given to victims pursuant to § 16-3-1525. Proper notice to a victim is not achieved unless reasonable attempts are made to contact the victim and the victim is either nonresponsive or cannot be located after a reasonable search.

(b) Each circuit solicitor that accepts state funding for the implementation of a mental health treatment court program must establish and administer at least one mental health court program for the circuit within one hundred eighty days of receipt of funding. The circuit solicitor must administer the program and ensure that all eligible persons are permitted to apply for admission to the program.

(2) Mental health court programs established pursuant to an administrative order issued by the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court shall continue to operate pursuant to the terms and conditions of the court’s orders pertaining to that mental health court program. To the extent that provisions contained in this chapter conflict with provisions contained in those Supreme Court administrative orders, the provisions of the administrative orders shall control.

(B) The Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court shall appoint all mental health court judges for mental health courts operating pursuant to subsection (A)(1) and (2). Service as a mental health court judge shall be at the pleasure of the Chief Justice and shall be subject to any limitations and directives issued by the Chief Justice. In order to be appointed as a mental health court judge, a person must be a probate judge, a summary court judge, or an active or retired member of the state’s unified judicial system. Service as a mental health court judge is voluntary.

(C) Mental health court judges are entitled to the same protections from civil liability and immunities as judicial office holders in this State.