The IST Crisis

Nick Welsh’s article “Santa Barbara County to Be Fined $6 Million for Too Many ‘Canaries in Coal Mine’” notes the concerning growth of those who are incompetent-to-stand-trial [IST] languishing in the Santa Barbara County jail while their mental health continues to deteriorate. But the article fails to draw the clear connection between this crisis and the severe shortage of community-based treatment beds in the county. Until we address this bed crisis, the IST crisis is bound to continue to grow.