IDOC official: State meeting mental health standards
PantagraphAug 29, 2018
Hinton was one of several IDOC officials to testify in a trial in
The most pointed questions were directed to Hinton by Judge
Noting the state seems to have made significant progress in some areas since the May injunction, the judge asked Hinton, "Why did you need that order to do this?"
"I don't think we needed the order. I think it was just the process," said Hinton.
Mihm acknowledged that staffing shortages at several mental health units are a concern for him as the state struggles to complete a massive overhaul of its treatment program. The judge sought assurances -- and received them -- from Hinton that the state will continue to make progress without the weight of a court order.
Change within the department is a slow process, said Hinton, that requires philosophical as well as policy changes.
"We're changing the culture. It's not just issuing an order and it's followed," said Hinton.
In his questions to Hinton,
The state has authorized unlimited overtime for mental health staff and increased the use of telepsychiatry at several prisons, said Hinton.
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Treatment delays can have serious consequences, especially for the 700 mentally ill inmates who are held in segregation, said Hirschman.
At
The state is making headway in the backlog of prisoners waiting to consult with a psychiatrist, said Hinton.
The backlog for psychiatric visits has dropped from 1,380 to 908 over the past six months, according to IDOC data.
The state has no control over the number and type of people who come into the state's custody, added Hinton.
"We have some of the most seriously mentally ill patients in the state -- period," Hinton told the judge.
The trial continues Wednesday with a court-appointed monitor expected to testify. In his reports on the state's efforts to follow the court order, Dr.
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