South Dakota Creates Fund To Speed Up Jail Mental Health Competency Evaluations

South Dakota officials are creating a fund to more quickly process mental health competency evaluations for those arrested on criminal charges. The fund will be overseen by the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners (ACC). The new fund was among the provisions of House Bill 1183 (HB 1183) which was signed into law on March 15, 2017. HB 1183 includes authority for the ACC to create and administer a fund for the purpose of assisting counties with the cost of court-ordered competency evaluations. The bill also allows the Department of Services (DSS) to contract with ACC to reallocate funds . . .