Amid a nationwide mental health crisis and calls for increased gun control, some Tennessee lawmakers want to bolster the state’s ability to mandate psychiatric treatment and monitor certain offenders with diagnosed mental illness or intellectual disability.
House Bill 1640, which is moving through the Tennessee General Assembly, would mean individuals charged with serious misdemeanors and above who are deemed incompetent by a judge to stand trial because of mental illness or intellectual disability meet the commitment criteria for involuntary care and treatment.
Those meeting that criteria who are charged with a felony would be ordered to participate in treatment.
Involuntary treatment could include inpatient or outpatient care, and a person would remain committed until their competency to stand trial is restored or the court approves a mandatory outpatient treatment plan, according to a summary of the bill.