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State updates competency restoration program and flags placement and staffing limits
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Summary
DCFS and juvenile services officials told the committee that Nevada implemented a residential competency restoration program under AB 467 (Desert Willow unit) but that statewide capacity limits, evaluator shortages and staffing constraints produce placement wait times and can extend detention stays.
Kimberly Abbott, administrator of the Division of Child and Family Services, and Deputy Sharon Anderson described the state's implementation of AB 467 (competency restoration) and the resulting inpatient restoration unit at Desert Willow Treatment Center.
Abbott said AB 467 amended Nevada law to require residential restoration when a court finds a youth needs inpatient competency restoration. "We have Desert Willow Treatment Center... we converted a psychiatric unit to accommodate this new competency restoration program," Abbott said, and reported the program has a 10-bed capacity with an average stay of about 122 days for admissions through 2025. She said 15 youth had been admitted since the unit opened and that as of the committee meeting there were seven youth in the program.
Deputy Anderson reviewed DCFS operational metrics and said referrals decreased 32% from federal fiscal year 2024 to 2025 while diversion rose to about 75% in 2025. Anderson flagged three operational constraints that affect placement timeliness: staffing capacity (vacancies and shift coverage), availability of specialized treatment beds, and limited qualified adolescent evaluators. She noted admission wait times are affected by transportation, medical clearances, program criteria and bed availability.
Abbott said the restoration program includes a group curriculum and mock-trial or rational-decision sessions designed to prepare youth to assist counsel. She provided basic outcome benchmarks: of 15 youth admitted since opening, four have been successfully restored to competency, three were not restored (one deemed not restorable), and seven remained in the program at the time of reporting.
Why it matters: AB 467 creates a statutory duty to house restoration-eligible youth in a residential setting; the initial implementation required DCFS to reassign beds and contract with private hospitals for acute youth. The committee heard that capacity is limited, restoration stays can be lengthy, and staffing and evaluator shortages can create delays that affect detention length and case progress.
What’s next: DCFS continues to track admissions, restoration outcomes and system capacity; committee members asked for additional operational data and timelines to inform potential legislative refinements.
