Nevada to pay $753,500 in fines after Washoe County judge finds state in contempt over delayed competency treatment
The Nevada Independent reported that the state Board of Examiners approved a payment of $753,500 for fines imposed at $500 per defendant per day after a Washoe County judge held the state in contempt in April 2025 for failing to provide timely treatment to nine defendants found unfit to stand trial and sent to Lakes Crossing Center in Sparks.
The Division of Public and Behavioral Health acknowledged that waits remain well above its 20-day goal, though average waits improved from 122 days in 2022 to 74 days as of February. The agency projects $3.6 million in fines over the next two-year budget cycle and is expanding capacity in Southern Nevada, building a new facility due in 2029 and allocating $17.6 million for added beds and staff.
The story shows the fine mechanism now operating in northern as well as southern Nevada and the state's continuing exposure.
Source: Nevada to pay $753K for delays in providing mental health care to criminal defendants — The Nevada Independent, by Eric Neugeboren
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