Jail-Based Competency Restoration

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of individuals in the Harris County Jail declared incompetent to stand trial in the Harris County jail grew, with people waiting an average of 500 days to receive treatment from the State Hospital System in order to be restored to competency. In response, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD established a Jail-Based Competency Restoration (JBCR) program. JBCR utilizes a compassionate, person-centered approach including medication management, therapy, peer support services, and case management and discharge planning. Initially funded by the Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC), the program delivered rapid results, with a 2022 competency restoration rate over 90% and an average stay of only 55 days. Based on this success, HHSC allocated additional funding and Harris County Commissioners Court approved ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Funding to expand the program to 50 beds, including pre- and post-JBCR programming. As one of the first counties to implement JBCR, Harris County is a leader in the space, helping people address behavioral health concerns and access speedier trials.