Judge approves settlement approved in Washington state mental health case

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A federal judge in Washington has approved a legal settlement designed to ensure people get help with their mental health before entering the criminal justice system.

After twice finding the state in contempt for violating her order to provide timely competency services to mentally ill people held in jails, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman this week approved the agreement between Disability Rights Washington and the Department of Social and Health Services. Pechman’s order said the agreement is “fair, reasonable and adequate” and will put on hold the contempt fines the state has been paying for years.

To date, the state has been fined more than $83 million for forcing people to wait for services.

The rights group sued the state in federal court in 2014 on behalf of mentally ill people who spent weeks or months languishing in jail cells awaiting competency evaluations after being arrested for a crime. If found incompetent to stand trial, the accused would spend more time waiting for treatment to restore their competency.

Following a trial in 2015, Pechman said the state was violating the rights of its most vulnerable citizens. She ordered the state to provide in-jail competency evaluations within 14 days of a court order and restoration services within seven days. When the state failed to comply, she ordered it in contempt in 2016 and again in 2017.

The agency said the settlement not only improves wait times for patients to receive competency evaluations and restoration services, it also increases services and programs for crisis triage, diversion supports, education, and training, as well as workforce development. (AP)

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