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Wyoming health officials, sheriffs back bill letting jails provide treatment, request $2.5M a year
Summary
The Wyoming Department of Health and sheriffs are asking the Legislature to authorize voluntary contracts with county jails to provide evaluations and treatment for Title 7 (forensic) detainees and to appropriate roughly $2.5 million a year to reimburse holding and treatment costs and incentivize local restoration services.
The joint Judiciary Committee on Tuesday heard a proposal from the Wyoming Department of Health to let county jails contract with the department to provide secure examinations and psychiatric treatment for defendants ordered under Title 7.
Department Director Stefan Johansen told the committee the state hospital—s forensic wait list remains ‘‘hovering around 4 to 5 months’’ from the issuing of a court order to inpatient admission, which forces counties to house and staff detainees for extended periods. Johansen said the Evanston state hospital has 104 beds but staffing limits operations to about 80 beds today.
Deputy Director Franz Fuchs presented a short bill draft that would amend Title 7, Chapter 11 to give the Department of Health the statutory authority to enter voluntary, site‑specific contracts with designated…
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