Colorado passes $54 million bed expansion as competency waits reach nearly 90 days
Average waits for court-ordered restoration rose from 11.9 days in March 2021 to 88.8 days in March 2022, and the waitlist grew from 66 people in March 2020 to 363. House Bill 22-1303 would fund 16 beds at Fort Logan for restoration and 125 residential beds for longer-term support, with 44 additional beds funded through the regular budget.
The bill passed with wide bipartisan margins. Newsline reported that Colorado expected about $12 million in fines for failing to meet decree deadlines. This is separate from HB22-1386 on competency process changes.
Source: Mentally ill Coloradans await care in jail for months. Could a new effort clear the backlog? — Colorado Newsline, by Faith Miller
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