Indiana officials say the state’s mental health system is struggling to keep up with a growing number of criminal defendants ordered into competency restoration before trial.
The Family and Social Services Administration says referrals for competency restoration have increased nearly 480 percent since 2013. By the end of last year, more than 700 people were under restoration orders, with that number expected to top 800 this year.
State officials say about 70 percent of patients in Indiana’s psychiatric hospitals are now involved in the criminal justice system, leaving fewer beds available for people facing mental health emergencies through civil commitment.
Judges say the growing backlog also delays cases involving more serious crimes and can keep lower-level offenders in custody for months while they wait for treatment.
Lawmakers have approved reforms in recent years, but state officials say additional changes are needed to ease the backlog and improve access to mental health care across Indiana.
