Background
Trueblood v DSHS (Trueblood) is an active lawsuit that challenged unconstitutional delays in competency evaluation and restoration services. As a result of this case, the state has been ordered to provide court-ordered competency evaluations within 14 days and competency restoration services within seven days. Trueblood helps individuals who are detained in city and county jails awaiting a competency evaluation or restoration services, and individuals who have previously received competency evaluation and restoration services, who are released and at-risk for re-arrest or reinstitutionalization.
What is the Trueblood Settlement Agreement?
The settlement agreement aims to resolve the contempt of court resulting from the Trueblood lawsuit by creating a plan delivering an array of services for class members and potential class members.
This agreement includes expanding residential mental health with crisis services; additional training for jail staff and law enforcement; hiring additional forensic evaluators and more mental health professionals to educate courts about the availability of supports that could meet the needs of individuals who have to wait in jail for evaluation and restoration services.
Additionally, the goal is to bring the state into compliance and reduce the number of people who become or remain class members and timely serve those who cannot be diverted from becoming class members and focus on effective outcomes and success of existing programs in Washington.
Where will the State start implementing the Trueblood Settlement?
The settlement has three phases. The first phase is scheduled for July 2019 through June 2021 and involves the Southwest, Spokane, and Pierce regions. The second phase integrates King County region. After the first two phases are complete, there will be an opportunity to a) expand or modify the first two phases within the already participating regions, or b) if the first two phases are successful, look at integrating the agreement into new, high-referral regions or c) a mixture of both a and b.