The Los Angeles County's board of supervisors has decided to allocate 500 mental health beds for inmates in the region, Antelope Valley Press reported April 5.
"Too many people who are locked up in our jails have serious mental illness and are suffering and decompensating instead of receiving the treatment they need," Janice Hahn, board supervisor, said in a statement obtained by the publication following the vote. "These 500 beds in secure mental health facilities will allow us to better treat people with the most severe mental health needs while preserving public safety."
In Los Angeles County, 1,700 inmates are categorized as P3 or P4, meaning they are considered severely mentally ill. P3 individuals are those who are hurting themselves or are prone to repeated violence, and P4 individuals are those who are a harm to themselves and others who tend to refuse treatment.
The 500 beds will be specifically for P3 and P4 individuals.
The board's motion asks the Department of Health Services, the Department of Diversion and Re-entry, the Department of Mental Health, the district attorney and public defenders to work with the Chief Executive Office to find funds for the beds, including proposed staffing, and to report back with a list of funding available from state and federal sources.