Length of Stay for Inpatient Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) Patients: Importance of Clinical and Demographic Variables

Chapter 36 - Length of Stay for Inpatient Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) Patients: Importance of Clinical and Demographic Variables

from Part V - Criminal Justice and Social Considerations

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 October 2021

Charles Broderick ,

Allen Azizian and

Katherine Warburton

Edited by

Katherine Warburton and

Stephen M. Stahl

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Katherine Warburton: Affiliation:
University of California, Davis
Stephen M. Stahl: Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego

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Summary

State psychiatric hospitals face increasing referrals for the evaluation and restoration of individuals whose mental health symptoms render them incompetent to stand trial (IST). As referrals can overwhelm capacity for admission, state hospitals at times are unable to admit IST patients in a timely fashion. The resulting use of “waitlists” have the undesirable consequence of forcing symptomatic individuals to endure long waits (while jailed) for admission to a psychiatric hospital. These long wait times have been determined to be unconstitutional, resulting in litigation against the responsible state mental health authorities. Unfortunately, available options to expedite hospital admission of these IST patients can have significant clinical and economic consequences.

Type: Chapter
Information: Decriminalizing Mental Illness , pp. 373 - 383

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108920698 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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