tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post6462536001440879626..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Cuts to state mental hospitals would be massive unfunded mandate for county jailsGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47688723063579737002010-12-25T06:51:14.425-06:002010-12-25T06:51:14.425-06:00Cool beans, raise taxes to pay for it or let every...Cool beans, raise taxes to pay for it or let everyone go. You get what you pay for...or not.zeetynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22993848080808579642010-12-21T14:36:05.514-06:002010-12-21T14:36:05.514-06:00What if you have an inmate that will NEVER be comp...What if you have an inmate that will NEVER be competent? One who is an immediate danger to everyone around him if he is released? The state wants to have him sent to a nursing facility, which will result in who knows how many sexual assaults and most likely a homicide or two..This man is a sexual deviant, predator, and is absolutely nuts, and will never be anything different. Who wants him in their neighborhood? Who wants him in the same nursing home as your Mom or Grandmother or your wife?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-72557134996301210652010-12-17T09:33:57.292-06:002010-12-17T09:33:57.292-06:00Grits,
Sorry to correct you, but this is not just...Grits, <br />Sorry to correct you, but this is not just a Texas issue. Forensic bed issues is a nation-wide issue. In Texas, forensic beds make up about 30-35% of state hospital beds. Some other states have about 100% of their beds going to forensic commitments. Some states even have just one state hospital. Unfortunately, this article mixes some of its facts between forensic and civil beds. Just to note, Van Zandt County hasn't had a forensic commitment to El Paso in a very long time. 5:50, you may be interested in the report, "More Mentally Ill Persons are in Jails and Prisons than Hospitals: A Survey of the States" available on the Treatment Advocacy Center's website. This was a report sponsored by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriff's Association. Grits may have a link to it that he's referring to but I'm not sure (don't know how to toggle back and forth without losing my comments). The reasoning behind the decisions to close beds are generally two-fold - there is a push from two very different "groups." The civil rights groups push to get folks into the least restrictive environment as possible (historically, mental institutions were quite oppressive to say the least, and many quite abusive). And, conservative groups generally push against spending money on expensive welfare programs (state hospitals included). You can Google, "De-institutionalization" or "Trans-institutionalization" and find the information that you are looking for. This process began way back in the late 50's and early 60's when we discovered that Thorazine can accomplish in the community setting, what a straight jacket can do in the asylum (and a lot cheaper). This is the short / dirty re-cap. <br />Just to note, if you decrease the availability of civil beds, you will thus increase the demand for forensic beds. This is what is happening across the nation, and is not specific to Texas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-19039744717457035432010-12-17T09:03:07.475-06:002010-12-17T09:03:07.475-06:00This is really a Texas-specific issue, 5:50, becau...This is really a Texas-specific issue, 5:50, because of how we handle "competency restoration," which historically has meant sending somebody to a state hospital until they're stable and back on their meds.<br /><br />Some jails have begun doing competency restoration in-house, and there have also been experiments here in Travis and elsewhere with outpatient competency restoration while people are out on bail, particularly for misdemeanors. I don't know about "studies," but if you read the links at the end of this post it's an issue that many counties are struggling with, judging from recurring anecdotes.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-7364881170099748882010-12-17T05:50:45.614-06:002010-12-17T05:50:45.614-06:00Around the nation beds in mental health institutio...Around the nation beds in mental health institutions are being closed but I am not seeing the reasoning behind this decision. Are there studies out there that have the facts in numbers, nationa sheriffs concern and the increase in dollars spent as a result of these closings?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22915907441893084172010-12-16T13:29:29.890-06:002010-12-16T13:29:29.890-06:00Wishful thinking, the talking heads in Austin will...Wishful thinking, the talking heads in Austin will cut social service programs to the bone everytime they get the chance. Just look at the numbers, $100 per capita spending on average for mental health care in other states. Anyone have a guess what Texas spends? A whopping $36..Disgusting, heads in Austin should be ashamed of themselves..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com