State fights order to move prisoners needing psychiatric care into hospitals

[TexasTowelie]

State officials say they can't obey a court order forcing them to move more than 150 mentally incompetent prisoners to psychiatric hospitals by June 1 because they don't have enough space, staff or money to do so.

The Texas attorney general's office has asked Austin-based state District Judge Orlinda Naranjo to review her January decision forcing the Department of State Health Services to start moving all current "forensic commitments" to state psychiatric hospitals by June 1. All such prisoners who arrive after that date would have to be moved to a psychiatric hospital within 21 days of a judge's order. Forensic patients are people accused of crimes who have been deemed incompetent to stand trial because of mental illness.

Complying with the court order would cost between $39 million and $55.2 million, according to a motion for a new trial filed by the attorney general's office this month.

"The short timelines set forth in the court's order makes it physically, fiscally and logistically impossible for DSHS to comply and indicates a lack of appreciation for the magnitude of the task and the complications inherent in implementing the terms of the order," the state wrote in its motion.

More at http://www.statesman.com/news/local/state-fights-order-to-move-prisoners-needing-psychiatric-2268252.html .

[DhhD]

1. People with Mental Disabilities

In September 2011 many adults with mental disabilities were removed from state medicaid by the State. The State gave over its control, to Medicare. An appropriate care facility then became a psychiatric hospital instead of a state prison hospital floor.