• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • CJCAT
    • From the President
    • From the General Counsel
    • North and East Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
    • South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
    • West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
  • Conferences
    • Conference Galleries
    • Conference Close-Up
  • Texas County Directory
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Previous Issues
      • 2020 Previous Issues
      • 2019 Previous Issues
      • 2018 Previous Issues
      • 2017 Previous Issues
      • 2016 Previous Issues
      • 2015 Previous Issues
      • 2014 Previous Issues
Texas County Progress

Texas County Progress

The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

  • Home
    • Feature Story
    • CJCAT
  • Legislature
  • Monuments of Justice
    • Courthouse Preservation
    • Courthouse Trails
    • Why Stop In
  • Emergency Response
  • Road & Bridge
  • Jails
    • Indigent Health Care
  • County Focus
    • A Glimpse In The Life
    • Century of Service
    • Courthouse Preservation
    • Key Concept
    • Veterans

From the General Counsel

March 1, 2012 by admin

Mentally Ill Jail Inmate Issues

 

            Travis County District Judge Orlinda Naranjo recently ordered the Texas Department of State Health Services to admit mentally incompetent county jail inmates within 21 days of receipt of the commitment order.  While the order is not final and may be appealed by the attorney general, it has revealed the increasing problem of underfunded state hospital beds at the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The Texas Legislature has provided funding for only 800 hospital beds for statewide treatment of incompetent jail inmates.  These inmates are awaiting trial, but have been found to be unable to participate in their defense because of mental illness.  Since 2005, these inmates have been subjected to an average wait of six months in the county jail before transfer to a state hospital.  During this delay the county is solely responsible for the costs of their confinement.  These inmates often require separation and additional supervision at increased cost to the county.

Of course, confinement in the county jail without treatment is also detrimental to the mental health of the inmate.

“Keeping incompetent pretrial criminal defendants confined in county jail for unreasonable periods of time prior to being admitted to a state mental health facility or residential health facility violates the incompetent detainees’ due process rights as guaranteed by the Texas Constitution” stated Naranjo.

The effect of this unfunded mandate comes as no surprise to sheriffs and commissioners courts who have urged adequate state mental health funding for many years.  Since Texas ranks last in the nation in per capita spending on mental health, conditions are unlikely to improve without additional appropriations from the state. Whether this court ruling will stimulate action or more delay remains to be seen.

For more information, please call me at 1-800-733-0699.

Filed Under: From the General Counsel

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to County Progress

Subscribe: Newsletter | Magazine

March 2023

March 2023
If you'd like to view our previous issues, click here.

Search County Progress

Dates of Interest for the 88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature

Official deadlines will be set when the House and Senate adopt their rules, but until then, the Texas Legislative Council Drafting Manual provides the following general calendar: 

Bill pre-filing began:  Nov. 14, 2022 

1st day of session:  Jan. 10, 2023 

60-day bill filing deadline:  March 10, 2023  

Adjournment sine die:  May 29, 2023 

Post-session 20-day deadline for governor to sign or veto:  June 18, 2023 

Effective date (91st day after adjournment):  Aug. 28, 2023

Sample Rules of Procedure, Conduct, and Decorum at Meetings of the County Commissioners Court

Resolutions

Unfunded Mandate Resolution

The latest resolutions passed by the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas and the three Regional Associations are available at the links below.

County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas Resolutions 2022

North & East Texas Resolutions 2022

South Texas Resolutions 2022

West Texas Resolutions 2022

Texas County Directory

Place your order for the updated 2023 Directory

Connect with us online.

Facebook spacer Twitter spacer LinkedIn

Footer

Search County Progress

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

County Progress

3457 Curry Lane
Abilene, TX 79606
325.673.4822
countyprogress@zacpubs.com

Categories

© 2023 · Zachry Publications