Montgomery County is pleased to announce Brian Rives as the new Director of the 19th Judicial District Mental Health Court in Montgomery County.

The 19th Judicial District Mental Health Court provides specialized treatment and support for justice-involved individuals with mental illness. By combining accountability with access to treatment and community resources, the program helps reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and support participants on their path to recovery and long-term success.

Rives brings more than two decades of experience in criminal justice, probation and parole, court operations, and community supervision. Before joining Montgomery County, he served as a Probation and Parole Manager with the Tennessee Department of Corrections, overseeing officers serving multiple Middle Tennessee counties. Rives has also previously managed probation and parole units based in Clarksville and has extensive experience working with the local judiciary and individuals transitioning from the court system into community supervision.

Rives is also well acquainted with Montgomery County's court system, having previously served as the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Court Liaison, where he coordinated between the courts and the Montgomery County Jail.

He holds a master’s degree in criminal justice administration, graduating cum laude from Bethel University, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay State University, where he majored in sociology and minored in psychology.

In addition to his professional experience, Rives has remained active in the community, including serving on the Austin Peay State University National Alumni Association Board and the Montgomery/Robertson Community Corrections Advisory Board.

A Montgomery County native, he and his wife, Denise, have deep ties to the community and are proud parents of Knox and Lily, both of whom attend Austin Peay State University.

“We are excited for Director Rives to bring his decades of experience in criminal justice to our program. Director Rives believes in the mission of recovery courts and has a heart for service that will benefit our participants,” said Circuit Court Judge, 19th Judicial District, Katy Olita.

To learn more about the 19th Judicial District Mental Health Court, visit montgomerytn.gov/mental-health-court.