The new law will move mentally ill offenders through the system quicker.

As of July 1, the state will be legally obligated to move mentally ill offenders out of jails within 48 hours of a judge signing a civil commitment order.

Designed to move people with mental illnesses to treatment quicker, the measure was included in the Health and Human Services omnibus bill passed by the Legislature this session, which Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law Thursday.

"It seemed like the best interest of the inmate had been forgotten," says bill author Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen. "This will ensure that we don't have anyone languishing without treatment in jail."

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Cover: Unfit for Trial
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Sen. Julianne Ortman, left, introduced the bill. Hennepin County Judge Jay Quam testified in favor.

Two bills designed to reduce the amount of time mentally ill offenders spend in jail awaiting treatment passed a Senate committee last week, and will now head to the floor.

One of the bills would mandate that the Department of Human Services transfer the offender out of jail within 48 hours of a judge issuing a civil commitment order; the other would streamline the path to commitment, combining the criminal and civil processes.

"Members, we set the policy," said bill author Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, at Thursday's hearing. "It's not right for folks that are innocent to be sitting in our jail waiting for treatment and waiting through processes that I think are unnecessarily burdensome."

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For more on the troubles of civil commitment, read our March cover story, Unfit for Trial.

A Hennepin County judge wants to know why it's taking the state so long to transfer some mentally ill patients to psychiatric hospitals.

Judge Jay Quam, who presides over the mental health commitment court, pulled representatives from the Department of Human Services into his courtroom Wednesday to assess where the system stalls, and how to prevent patients from languishing without proper care in the future.

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COVER: Unfit for Trial
Mentally ill, dangerous patient languished for months without proper care
Hennepin County jailer died after attack by mentally ill, HIV-infected inmate
Hennepin County court gap cycles out mentally ill offenders

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Craig Lassig for City Pages.

Judge Jay Quam wants assurance others won't be left to languish without proper care.

Linda Desonpere had no business being at the University of Minnesota's Fairview Hospital after August 27.

That's the day a Hennepin County judge deemed Desonpere "mentally ill and dangerous" -- the most restrictive form of commitment in Minnesota -- and ordered her transfer to the St. Peter Security Hospital.

SEE ALSO:
COVER: Unfit for Trial
Hennepin County court gap cycles out mentally ill offenders
Hennepin County jailer died after attack by mentally ill, HIV-infected inmate

More »