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Warren County officials flag rising competency-restoration costs, seek state fixes
Summary
Warren County Health Services Committee members were briefed on a spike in competency restoration expenses that exceeded $1.6 million for the year, discussed state funding changes and per-diem increases, and agreed to convene local criminal justice stakeholders to explore responses.
Warren County supervisors and Health Services staff on Monday discussed a sharp rise in competency-restoration expenses that left the county well over budget for the year.
The committee heard that charges for court-ordered competency evaluations and state facility care came in at a total of $1,600,000 for the most recent accounting period, and that the county’s 2025 budgeted amount of about $600,000 will not cover current spending patterns.
The county’s health staff and committee members tied the rise to a 2021 change in how the state allocates costs, an increase in per-diem rates charged by state facilities and a higher caseload. “The expenses have really just been off the charts this year and it came in at a total of 1,600,000,” Rob York, staff member, told the committee.
Why it matters: competence-restoration care sends defendants found unable to…
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