Project: State of Texas: Leaders consider ‘consequences’ of not tracking state hospital waitlist data
In recent years, there have been efforts to increase other competency restoration alternatives – like jail-based or outpatient methods – but for some people, those options are not always available.
Project: Wrong races, hidden names among data challenges our team faced with jail mental health project
An examination of shortfalls in Texas' oversight of the state hospital waitlist spotlights unreliable data and records that aren’t kept, like the race and ethnicity of people on the waitlist and how many die each year before getting to the hospital.
By October 2021, the number of people stuck in jail waiting for a state hospital bed had grown to a new record of 1,838 people.
Project: Austin court’s redirection of those committing low-level crimes could be saving taxpayer money
“They often refer to us as a restorative justice court, where we focus on assisting repeat offenders and connecting them to services so that those repetitive offenses stop,” said the court's administrator.
In Texas, those charged with crimes and found mentally incompetent are entitled to treatment at a state hospital before returning to jail and standing trial. The failing system waitlists hundreds. Sometimes they die sooner than receiving treatment.