Bill to Improve Treatment of People with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Passes Senate
SB25-041 would refine competency restoration and sanity examinations while expanding supportive housing for incarcerated individuals
DENVER, CO – Today, the Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, and Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, to improve services for people with behavioral health disorders in the criminal justice system.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe and protected in their interactions with law enforcement and the justice system, especially people battling serious behavioral health issues,” said Michaelson Jenet. “This bill works to streamline and protect access to the resources that the most vulnerable people in the criminal justice system need to heal and eventually re-enter their communities feeling healthier, stronger and more productive.”
“Coloradans seeking support in the aftermath of mental health crises deserve comprehensive care and a system willing to treat them with dignity,” said Amabile. “Every American is owed the right to fair criminal trial, and we owe it to victims, defendants, their families and their communities to implement an equitable and dignified environment for proceedings to take place.”
SB25-041 would allow the Colorado Department of Human Services to continue providing inpatient services for up to 90 days after an individual’s case is dismissed because the person is deemed “incompetent to proceed.” The bill also allows the department to work with community organizations to provide permanent supportive housing for these individuals or those who complete the Bridges of Colorado program.
The bill was recommended by the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Interim Committee, which is responsible for overseeing its associated task force and implementing recommendations regarding the treatment of people with behavioral health disorders in the criminal and juvenile justice systems until 2027.
SB25-041 now moves to the House for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.