Mental health task force to solidify policy recommendations

A task force charged with finding answers to the state’s growing mental health crisis in the criminal justice system will meet Thursday to solidify policy recommendation.

Last month, the task force brought together by South Dakota Chief Justice David Gilbertson presented a handful of ideas for policy that could be implemented.

The ideas included doubling down on training for police officers, creating a mental health court, similar to drug and veterans courts, adding treatment as a condition of releasing someone on bond, and placing a cap on the wait time for the evaluations.

The task force only has two meetings remaining. Both will be held in Pierre.

It was created after an Argus Leader Media investigation found mentally ill defendants waiting in jail for months without trial because of scheduling delays for court-ordered mental health evaluations.

Meanwhile, authorities are being called on more often to intervene in mental health emergencies and local jails have become de facto institutions for a revolving door of individuals who aren’t getting treatment elsewhere.