The Washington Department of Social and Health Services faces a $100 million fine for allegedly not providing proper mental health services to individuals with severe mental illness in state prisons, The Chronicle reported July 9.
A federal judge found that the state department of health was in breach of a settlement agreement that established time frames for individuals in jail to get services at state psychiatric facilities, according to the report. The ruling comes after a lengthy legal battle highlighting Washington's ongoing challenges to end the warehousing of people in jails.
Under the terms of the settlement, defendants who were potentially incompetent to stand trial would be assessed within 14 days and receive restoration services within seven days after that, according to The Chronicle. However, as of April, individuals in jail were waiting an average of 130 days before they could be admitted to a state facility for inpatient services.
"The primary reason [people who fall under the settlement's terms] suffered was DSHS's own lack of foresight, creativity, planning, and timely response to a crisis of its own making," U.S. District Judge Marsha J. Pechman said. "The Court is unpersuaded that DSHS adequately planned for and took reasonable measures to address the bed shortage."