Bill > S616

This bill establishes two new pilot programs for capacity restoration, which are alternative mental health treatment programs designed to help individuals restore their mental competency to stand trial. The Community-Based Capacity Restoration Program (CBCRP) allows the Department of Health and Human Services to contract for three or more community-based or regional programs, which will be aligned with nearby state psychiatric hospitals. Similarly, the Detention Center Capacity Restoration Program (DCCRP) permits the Department to contract for up to three programs within county or regional detention centers, with the explicit consent of local sheriffs. These programs provide courts with an alternative to state-operated psychiatric hospitals for individuals who need capacity restoration, as recommended by a forensic evaluator. The bill gives courts the judicial discretion to order capacity restoration at either a CBCRP or DCCRP, potentially offering more flexible and localized mental health treatment options for individuals involved in the judicial system. The act becomes effective immediately upon becoming law.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S616