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Senate subcommittee hears plan for 40‑bed restoration unit, $27M hospital design to ease jail wait times
Summary
The Senate Appropriations Health subcommittee heard Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities testimony calling for capital funding to expand competency restoration capacity — including a $20.7M, 40‑bed Augusta facility — and urged clearer language for a House‑included $27M Atlanta hospital design appropriation to reduce long jail wait times for treatment.
The Senate Appropriations Health and Human Services Development Subcommittee heard a briefing from Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Tanner about amended budget items intended to reduce jail wait times for people awaiting competency restoration services.
Commissioner Tanner told senators the department received more than 2,500 adult pre‑trial evaluation orders in 2025 and that "nearly 70 percent of individuals ordered for evaluation remain in jail while they wait on our services." He said the state currently has more than 800 people…
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