Mental health: persons incompetent to stand trial: pilot program expansion.

Existing law establishes the State Department of State Hospitals, provides for the administration of state hospitals by the department, and provides for the involuntary confinement of certain individuals in those state hospitals, including persons who have been found incompetent to stand trial. This bill would authorize the department to expand a specified pilot program to establish competency restoration programs in prescribed counties, to provide treatment in county jails to individuals found incompetent to stand trial, and who have not been committed to a state hospital. By requiring specified counties to participate in the pilot program if it is expanded, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for competency restoration programs in Los Angeles County and Kern County. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.