Declining jail population with steady mental health needs
Summary
Over 500 inmates were on the behavioral health census in December, with some waiting for state hospital beds. A new therapeutic housing block and the upcoming DART diversion facility are helping.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Aug 12, 2026.
Impact analysis
Mentally ill inmates get treatment and time out of cells instead of 23-hour lockdown.
Inmates with serious mental illness continue to need intensive care even as the jail population shrinks.
Mentions & discussions (2)
Prison Oversight Board - Aug 12, 2026
Jail population is down to an average of 672, but mental health caseloads haven't dropped with it — 451 inmates on the mental health census and 91 with serious mental illness. Suicide hotline calls also spiked in July, with 10 of the year's 18 calls in a single month.
Prison Oversight Board - Jan 14, 2026
Over 500 inmates were on the behavioral health census in December, with some waiting for state hospital beds. A new therapeutic housing block and the upcoming DART diversion facility are helping.
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