Dallas County jails use grant funds to extend program to decrease hospital wait lists

By Winston Harvey
Mesquite News

DALLAS COUNTY, Texas — The Dallas County Criminal Justice Department extended its partnership with the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority and the Parkland Health and Hospital System to help divert individuals from the jail and criminal justice system and to help reduce the state hospital waitlist.

Laura Edmonds, Assistant Director in Behavioral Health, said the interlocal agreement funds Dallas County staff positions that support the Jail Based Competency Restoration Program. It targets individuals who have been found incompetent, or mentally unfit, to stand trial and are waiting in jail to go to the state hospital. It provides competency education to those who want it while waiting in jail. The program has the ability to serve 24 men and 12 women.

The grant is funded through Texas Senate Bill 292 passed in 2017 and comes from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The Interlocal agreement provides funding for six Dallas County staff positions that support efforts to address those who have been found to be incompetent to stand trial. Senate Bill 292 funding is also utilized to support other jail diversion efforts in the community like funding the availability of wrap-around mental health services for those who have been involved in criminal justice and are in need of increased community support.

FULL STORY: Dallas County jails extend program to decrease hospital wait lists