The Illinois Department of Human Services is promising to move four Sangamon County Jail inmates to appropriate psychiatric care settings by the end of next week.
That assurance was made to county officials after a judge Wednesday ordered the department to appear in court to show why it should not be held in contempt for failing to provide that mental health treatment. State law requires jail inmates who are found to be unfit to stand trial to be moved for psychiatric treatment within 20 days, but five local inmates have remained behind bars for two to four months. State’s Attorney Dan Wright says he takes the agency at its word and expects the four inmates to be moved within days.
The fifth case is being handled by a special prosecutor because of a conflict of interest.
